civil engineering body of knowledge for the 21st century : preparing the civil engineer for the...

American Society of Civil Engineers

Civil EngineeringBody of Knowledgefor the 21st CenturyPreparing the Civil Engineer

for the Future

Second Edition

Prepared by the Body of Knowledge Committee of theCommittee on Academic Prerequisites for Professional Practice

ASCE and American Society of Civil Engineers—Registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

American Society of Civil Engineers1801 Alexander Bell DriveReston, Virginia, 20191-4400

www.asce.org

Copyright © 2008 by the American Society of Civil Engineers.All Rights Reserved.Manufactured in the United States of America.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Civil engineering body of knowledge for the 21st century: preparing the civil engineer for the future/prepared by the Body of Knowledge Committee of the Committee on Aca-demic Prerequisites for Professional Practice.—2nd ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-13: 978-0-7844-0965-7 ISBN-10: 0-7844-0965-X 1. Civil engineering—Study and teaching (Higher)—United States. 2. Civil engineering—Vocational guidance—United States. I. American Society of Civil Engi-neers. Body of Knowledge Committee.

T73.C538 2008 624.023—dc22

2007051364

www.asce.org

iiiCIVIL ENGINEERING BODY OF KNOWLEDGE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

Contents

List of Figures vii

List of Tables ix

Executive Summary 1Body of Knowledge 1Fulfilling the Body of Knowledge 2Roles of Faculty, Students, Engineer Interns, and Practitioners 4The Next Steps 5

CHAPTER 1 Introduction 6The Vision for Civil Engineering in 2025 6ASCE Policy Statement 465: Emergence of the Body of Knowledge 8Formation of and Charge to the Second Body of Knowledge Committee 10Committee’s Overall Approach 10Note to the Reader 11

CHAPTER 2 Body of Knowledge—Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes Necessary for Entry into Professional Practice 12

Introduction 12Bloom’s Taxonomy 13Outcomes: Introduction 14Outcomes: Enhanced Clarity 15

CHAPTER 3 Fulfilling the Body of Knowledge 20Introduction 20Outcomes: Paths to Fulfillment 21Outcomes: Rubric 23Outcomes: Explanations 26Outcomes: Validating Fulfillment 27The Vision for Civil Engineering in 2025 and the Body of Knowledge:

The Foundation of the Policy Statement 465 Master Plan 30Other Ways the Body of Knowledge Could Be Used 36

CHAPTER 4 Guidance for Faculty, Students, Engineer Interns, and Practitioners 37

Introduction 37Guidance for Faculty 38Guidance for Students 46Guidance for Engineer Interns 49Guidance for Practitioners 54Summary 59

CHAPTER 5 The Next Steps 60

iv CIVIL ENGINEERING BODY OF KNOWLEDGE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

Acknowledgments 63

APPENDIX A Abbreviations 64

APPENDIX B Glossary 67

APPENDIX C ASCE Policy 465: Emergence of the Body of Knowledge 70

APPENDIX D Charge to the Body of Knowledge Committee 73

Introduction 73Charge 73Committee Composition 75Effort Expected of Committee Members 75

APPENDIX E Members and Corresponding Members of the Body of Knowledge Committee 76

Members 76Corresponding Members 77ASCE Staff 80Contributors to Special Tasks 80

APPENDIX F Bloom’s Taxonomy 81Level 1—Knowledge 81Level 2—Comprehension 82Level 3—Application 82Level 4— Analysis 83Level 5—Synthesis 84Level 6—Evaluation 85Cited Sources 85

APPENDIX G The Affective Domain of Bloom’s Taxonomy 87Overview 87Bloom’s Taxonomy 87First Edition of the Body of Knowledge 88The Levels of Achievement Report 89The Curriculum Committee Report 91Second Edition of the BOK 91Conclusion: Two-Dimensional Outcomes 92Example Affective Domain Rubrics 92Commentary on Affective Domain Portions of the Example Rubrics 95Recommendation for Future Work 96Cited Sources 96

APPENDIX H Relationship of ABET, BOK1, and BOK2 Outcomes 98

APPENDIX I Body of Knowledge Outcome Rubric 103

APPENDIX J Explanations of Outcomes 113Introduction 113

vCIVIL ENGINEERING BODY OF KNOWLEDGE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

APPENDIX K Humanities and Social Sciences 153Introduction 153Liberal Learning in Civil Engineering Education 154A Balanced Body of Knowledge 155Foundational Outcomes in the Body of Knowledge 156Cited Sources 156

APPENDIX L Sustainability 157Overview 157Civil Engineering and the Sustainability Commitment 157Sustainability and the Body of Knowledge 159Interdisciplinary, Distinctive Competence, Scope 159The Rationale behind the Sustainability Rubric 160Cited Sources 161

APPENDIX M Globalization 163Introduction 163Professional Practice 163Infrastructure 164Environment 164Computer Tools and the Internet 164Definitions of Globalization 164Sources 166

APPENDIX N Public Policy 168Cited Sources 170

APPENDIX O Attitudes 172Findings of the First Body of Knowledge Committee 172The Importance of Attitudes in the Engineering Profession

and Beyond 173Attitudes or Abilities? 173Assessing Attitudes 174Concluding Remarks 174Cited Sources 175

APPENDIX P Notes 177

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viiCIVIL ENGINEERING BODY OF KNOWLEDGE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

List of Figures

Figure ES-1. Entry into the practice of civil engineering at the professional level requires fulfilling 24 outcomes to the appropriate levels of achievement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Figure 1. Implementation of Policy Statement 465 will improve the lifelong career of tomorrow’s civil engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Figure 2. Entry into the practice of civil engineering at the professional level requires fulfilling 24 outcomes to the appropriate levels of achievement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Figure 3. The BOK rubric integrates outcomes, levels of achievement, formal education, and prelicensure experience . . . . . . . . . 24

Figure 4. ASCE’s master plan for implementing Policy Statement 465 builds on the Vision for Civil Engineering in 2025 and the body of knowledge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Figure C-1. Implementation of Policy Statement 465 will improve the lifelong career of tomorrow’s civil engineer . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Figure K-1. The future technical and professional practice education of civil engineers is supported on four foundational legs. . . 156

ixCIVIL ENGINEERING BODY OF KNOWLEDGE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

List of Tables

Table 1. Entry into the practice of civil engineering at the professional level requires fulfilling 24 outcomes to the various levels of achievement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Table 2. Validation of path 1 to body of knowledge fulfillment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Table 3. Validation of path 2 to body of knowledge fulfillment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Table 4. Lowman’s two-dimensional model of effective college teaching is based on interpersonal rapport and intellectual excitement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Table G-1. Levels and sublevels of achievement in the affective domain . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Table G-2. Illustrative affective domain objectives excerpted from Krathwohl et al., Appendix A, “A Condensed Version of the Affective Domain.” . . . . . . . . . . . .90

Table G-3. Example rubric for a two-dimensional outcome—communication . . . . . . . . . 93

Table G-4. Example rubric for a two-dimensional outcome—professional and ethical responsibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Table H-1. From the ABET program criteria outcomes to BOK2 outcomes. . . . . . . 101

Table H-2. From the BOK2 outcomes to the ABET program criteria outcomes . . . 102

1CIVIL ENGINEERING BODY OF KNOWLEDGE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

Executive Summary

Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice.

William Jennings Bryan, American statesman

The civil engineering pro-fession is proactively pre-paring for the future.

The manner in which civil engineering is practiced mustchange. That change is necessitated by such forces as global-ization, sustainability requirements, emerging technology,and increased complexity with the corresponding need toidentify, define, and solve problems at the boundaries of tra-ditional disciplines. As always within the civil engineeringprofession, change must be accomplished mindful of theprofession’s primary concern for protecting public safety,health, and welfare.

The profession recognizes the need for change. For example,in June 2006, the American Society of Civil Engineers(ASCE) convened the Summit on the Future of Civil Engi-neering – 2025. This gathering of civil engineering and otherleaders, including international participants, articulated aglobal vision for the future of civil engineering. The vision1

sees civil engineers as being entrusted by society as leadersin creating a sustainable world and enhancing the globalquality of life.

Body of Knowledge

ASCE’s Policy Statement 465 calls for attainment of a body of knowledge for entry into the practice of civil engineering at the professional level.

Even before the 2006 summit, the profession recognized theneed for change. Beginning in 1998, ASCE’s Board of Direc-tion adopted, refined, and confirmed ASCE Policy State-ment (PS) 465—“Academic Prerequisites for Licensure andProfessional Practice”2—which “…supports the attainmentof a body of knowledge (BOK) for entry into the practice ofcivil engineering at the professional level.” The policyexplains that this “…would be accomplished through theadoption of appropriate engineering education and experi-ence requirements as a prerequisite for licensure.” PS 465recognizes that the profession’s principal means of changingthe way civil engineering is practiced lies in reforming the

2 CIVIL ENGINEERING BODY OF KNOWLEDGE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

manner in which tomorrow’s civil engineers are pre-pared—through education and early experience—to enterprofessional practice.

The permanent board-level Committee on Academic Pre-requisites for Professional Practice (CAP3) is charged withimplementing PS 465. CAP3 developed an implementationmaster plan, of which the BOK is the foundation. As one ofits actions, CAP3 created a BOK committee, which pub-lished the first BOK (BOK1) in January 2004. In response tothe expanding use of BOK1 by various stakeholders, and thequestions asked and suggestions offered as a result of thatuse, CAP3 formed the second BOK Committee in October2005. This committee was asked to produce a second editionof the BOK report in response to stakeholder input andrecent developments in engineering education and practice.The result is the refined BOK (BOK2) presented in thisreport.

The BOK2 committee began its work by reviewing the 15outcomes making up the core of BOK1.3 Also examinedwere recent National Academy of Engineering reports,4,5

which aligned with BOK1, and other documents. Outcomesare the heart of the BOK because they define the knowledge,skills, and attitudes necessary to enter the practice of civilengineering at the professional level in the 21st century.

The original BOK was refined in response to stakeholder input and recent developments in engineering education and practice.

Following careful deliberation, the original set of 15 out-comes was expanded to 24 outcomes organized into threecategories: foundational, technical, and professional. Theevolution from 15 to 24 outcomes further describes theBOK. Rather than add content, the larger number of out-comes add specificity and clarity. (See Appendix H for moredetail.)

The committee adopted Bloom’s Taxonomy, which is widelyknown and understood within the education community, asthe means of describing the minimum cognitive levels ofachievement for each outcome. Figure ES-1 presents the 24outcomes and, for each one, the level of achievement that anindividual should demonstrate to enter the practice of civilengineering at the professional level.

Fulfilling the Body of Knowledge

The BOK will be fulfilled by a combination of educa-tion and experience.

According to PS 465, the BOK will be fulfilled by means offormal education and experience—that is, a bachelor’sdegree plus a master’s degree, or approximately 30 semester


OutcomeNumberand Title

Level of Achievement1 2 3 4 5 6

KnowledgeCompre-hension Application Analysis Synthesis Evaluation

Foundational1. Mathematics B B B

2. Natural sciences B B B

3. Humanities B B B

4. Social sciences B B B

Technical5. Materials science B B B

6. Mechanics B B B B

7. Experiments B B B B M/30

8. Problem recognition and solving B B B M/30

9. Design B B B B B E

10. Sustainability B B B E

11. Contemp. issues & hist. perspectives B B B E

12. Risk and uncertainty B B B E

13. Project management B B B E

14. Breadth in civil engineering areas B B B B

15. Technical specialization B M/30 M/30 M/30 M/30 E

Professional16. Communication B B B B E

17. Public policy B B E

18. Business and public administration B B E

19. Globalization B B B E

20. Leadership B B B E

21. Teamwork B B B E

22. Attitudes B B E

23. Lifelong learning B B B E E

24. Professional and ethical responsibility B B B B E E

Key:B

Portion of the BOK fulfilled through the bachelor’s degree

M/30Portion of the BOK fulfilled through the master’s degree or equivalent (approximately 30 semester credits of acceptable graduate-level or upper-level undergraduate courses in a specialized technical area and/or professional practice area related to civil engineering)

EPortion of the BOK fulfilled through the prelicensure experience

Figure ES-1. Entry into the practice of civil engineering at the professional level requires fulfilling 24 outcomes to the appropriate levels of achievement.


credits, and experience. Two common fulfillment paths weredeveloped—one involving an accredited bachelor’s degree incivil engineering followed by a master’s degree, or approxi-mately 30 semester credits of acceptable graduate-level orupper-level undergraduate courses, and the other using anappropriate bachelor’s degree followed by an accreditedmaster’s degree.

The roles of the bachelor’s degree, the master’s degree orapproximately 30 credits, and experience in fulfilling theBOK are shown in Figure ES-1. A detailed version of the fig-ure, known as an outcome rubric, appears as Appendix I andnon-prescriptive explanations for outcomes are presented inAppendix J. These two appendices are the heart of thisreport. The report presents two models for validating thefulfillment of the BOK, one for each of the two previouslymentioned common fulfillment paths.

The refined BOK is the foundation of the Policy Statement 465 Master Plan.

This report stresses the foundational role of the BOK inimplementing the PS 465 Master Plan, noting how the CAP3

committee and its subcommittees build on BOK2. Also pre-sented are ways the BOK could be used by prospective civilengineering students, high school counselors, parents,employers, and others.

Roles of Faculty, Students, Engineer Interns, and Practitioners

This report offers guid-ance to BOK stakeholders.

PS 465 and the foundational BOK will reform the educationand prelicensure experience of tomorrow’s civil engineers.The resulting changes may raise concerns for some facultymembers, students, engineer interns, and those practitionerswho recruit, employ, supervise, coach, or mentor engineerinterns. Accordingly, the BOK2 Committee invited variousaccomplished professionals, drawn from academia and prac-tice and from the private and public sectors, to offer guidanceideas. Their input was used by the committee to create sepa-rate guidance for faculty, students, interns, and practitioners.That guidance is offered in this report in the hope that it pro-vides useful insights and advice.


The Next Steps

The report concludes with recommendation for using the BOK to continue implementation of ASCE Policy Statement 465.

The BOK2 Committee believes that this report will signifi-cantly assist with further implementation of ASCE PS 465.Accordingly, the report concludes with implementation rec-ommendations for many stakeholders, including the CAP3

accreditation, licensure, educational fulfillment, and experi-ence fulfillment committees; university departments of civiland environmental engineering; employers of civil engi-neers; civil engineering students and interns; and other engi-neering disciplines and organizations.


CHAPTER 1

Introduction

If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the people to gather wood, divide up the work, and give orders.

Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, French poet

The Vision for Civil Engineering in 2025

The American Society of Civil Engineers defines civil engi-neering as “…the profession in which a knowledge of themathematical and physical sciences gained by study, experi-ence, and practice is applied with judgment to develop waysto utilize, economically, the materials and forces of naturefor the progressive well-being of humanity in creating,improving and protecting the environment, in providingfacilities for community living, industry and transportation,and in providing structures for the use of humanity.”6 Thecivil engineering profession is moving forward.

The vision: civil engineers will be entrusted by soci-ety to create a sustainable world and enhance the quality of life.

For example, in June 2006, a diverse group of civil engineer-ing and other leaders, including international participants,gathered to formulate a global vision for the future of civilengineering. The term “vision,” as applied at the summit,was conceptual as opposed to concrete; mental, not today’sreality. It was reflective of actual or desired values, influ-enced by imagination, and focused on what, not how.7

Participants in this summit envisioned a very differentworld for civil engineers in 2025. An ever-increasing globalpopulation that is shifting even more to urban areas willrequire widespread adoption of sustainability. Demands forenergy, transportation, drinking water, clean air, and safewaste disposal will drive environmental protection andinfrastructure development. Society will face threats fromnatural events, accidents, and perhaps such other causes asterrorism.


Informed by the preceding, a global vision was developedthat sees civil engineers entrusted by society to lead in creat-ing a sustainable world and enhancing the global quality oflife. The 2025 vision is:1

Entrusted by society to create a sustainable world and enhance the global quality of life, civil engineers servecompetently, collaboratively, and ethically as master:

■ planners, designers, constructors, and operators ofsociety’s economic and social engine, the built envi-ronment;

■ stewards of the natural environment and itsresources;

■ innovators and integrators of ideas and technologyacross the public, private, and academic sectors;

■ managers of risk and uncertainty caused by naturalevents, accidents, and other threats; and

■ leaders in discussions and decisions shaping publicenvironmental and infrastructure policy.

As used in the vision, “master” means one who possesseswidely recognized and valued knowledge, skills, and atti-tudes acquired as a result of education, experience, andachievement. Individuals within a profession who have thesecharacteristics are willing and able to serve society byorchestrating solutions to society’s most pressing currentneeds while helping to create a more viable future.

Reform in education and prelicensure experience will help achieve the civil engineering vision.

Summit organizers and participants intend that the visionwill guide policies, plans, processes, and progress within thecivil engineering community and beyond, worldwide. Civilengineers and leaders of civil engineering organizationsshould act to move the civil engineering profession towardthe vision. One critical action is reform in the education andprelicensure experience of civil engineers. This report is pre-sented in the spirit of that reform.


ASCE Policy Statement 465: Emergence of the Body of Knowledge

The ASCE Board of Direc-tion adopted Policy State-ment 465 in 1998 and thus began reformation of the education and prelicen-sure experience of civil engineers.

In October 1998, following years of studies and conferences,the ASCE Board of Direction adopted Policy Statement 465(PS 465), which has since been refined and confirmed. TheASCE board last revised Policy Statement 465 in April 2007and, as it has since October 2004, the statement explicitlyincludes the body of knowledge (BOK).8 The policy nowreads, in part:

ASCE supports the attain-ment of a BOK for entry into the practice of civil engineering at the profes-sional level.

The ASCE supports the attainment of a body of knowl-edge for entry into the practice of civil engineering atthe professional level. This would be accomplishedthrough the adoption of appropriate engineering edu-cation and experience requirements as a prerequisitefor licensure.

The BOK is defined in the policy as “the necessary depthand breadth of knowledge, skills, and attitudes required ofan individual entering the practice of civil engineering at theprofessional level in the 21st century.” The long-term effectof PS 465 is illustrated in Figure 1, which compares today’scivil engineering professional track with tomorrow’s.

From ASCE’s perspective, the civil engineering BOK repre-sents a strategic direction for the profession. Under today’scurricula design and accreditation and regulatory processesand procedures, some of the elements of the BOK may notbe translated into curricula, accreditation criteria, andlicensing requirements in the near term. In other words, theBOK describes the “gold standard” for the aspiring civilengineering professional. Because input into curriculadesign, accreditation, and licensing comes from many andvaried stakeholders beyond ASCE, these processes are notlikely to reflect all aspects of the civil engineering BOK.ASCE is optimistic that the curricula design, accreditation,and licensing processes will change over time to adopt amore BOK-centric approach. As this occurs, a greater pro-portion of the BOK will be reflected in curricula and inaccreditation and licensure requirements.

The BOK thrust resulted in the BOK Committee of theASCE Committee on Academic Prerequisites for Profes-sional Practice (CAP3) completing, in January 2004, thereport Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge for the 21st Cen-tury: Preparing the Civil Engineer for the Future.3 Report rec-ommendations were cast in terms of 15 outcomes that,compared to today’s bachelor’s programs, provided signifi-


cant increases in technical depth and professional practicebreadth. Included in the 15 outcomes were the 11 outcomesdirectly influenced by those used by ABET in its GeneralCriteria for Baccalaureate Level Programs. Each outcomewas further described with a helpful, non-prescriptive civilengineering commentary.

As a result of reviewing and using the recommendations inthe civil engineering BOK report, stakeholders identified aproblem and raised issues related to the BOK. The problemwas ambiguity of the three principal words used to definecompetency levels—namely, recognition, understanding,and ability.

To remove this obstacle, CAP3 formed the Levels ofAchievement Subcommittee in February 2005. The subcom-mittee’s September 2005 report9 contained many recom-mendations that addressed the problem and are beingimplemented. Relative to this second edition BOK report,the subcommittee recommended using Bloom’s Taxonomyto define levels of achievement. Bloom’s Taxonomy isexplained in Chapter 2 of this second edition BOK reportand applied in Chapter 2 and Chapter 3. Bloom’s levels of thecognitive domain are widely known and understood withinthe education community. Furthermore, use of measurable,action-oriented verbs will facilitate more consistent curri-cula design and assessment. (Refer to Appendix C for a moredetailed account of PS 465.)

Figure 1. Implementation of Policy Statement 465 will improve the lifelong career of tomorrow’s civil engineer.

T oda y’ s C E pr ofes s iona l tr a c k :

P r ofes s iona l pra c tic e a nd

life-long lea rning

E xa m/lic en.

T omor r ow’ s C E pr ofes s iona l tr a c k :

E xa m/lic en.

P os s ibly mor ec ompr ehens ive

P r ofes s iona l pr a c tic e a nd

life-long lea rning

With s pec ia ltyc er tific a tion option

B OK (Implic it)

B a c c .educ . E xper .

B OK (E xplic it)

B a c c .educ .

Modified

Mor efoc us ed

Ma s ter ’ s degree or a ppr oxima tely 30 c r edits

E xper .

M/30


P r ofes s iona l pra c tic e a nd

life-long lea rning

E xa m/lic en.


E xa m/lic en.



life-long lea rning


B OK (Implic it)


B OK (E xplic it)

B a c c .educ .

Modified

Mor efoc us ed

Ma s ter ’ s degree or a ppr oxima tely 30 c r edits

E xper .

M/30


Formation of and Charge to the Second Body of Knowledge Committee

The second BOK commit-tee was formed to respond to questions and sugges-tions raised by the report produced by the first committee.

In response to the recommendations of the Levels ofAchievement Subcommittee, the expanding use of the civilengineering BOK by various stakeholders, and the questionsasked and suggestions offered as a result of that use, CAP3

formed the second Body of Knowledge committee (theBOK2 Committee) in October 2005. This action was antici-pated because the initial BOK report was envisioned as afirst edition—that is, a work in progress.

The charge to the BOK2 Committee appears as Appendix D.The public solicitation process used to select committeemembers, along with the names, affiliations, and contactinformation for committee members, are presented inAppendix E. CAP3 asked the committee to produce a secondedition of the BOK report in response to recent stakeholderinput and other developments in engineering education andpractice.

Committee’s Overall Approach

The BOK2 Committee carried out its work in an inclusiveand transparent manner and adopted a proactive approach.It conducted 65 conference calls for the entire committeeand held four face-to-face meetings during the period ofOctober 2005 through November 2007, when a draft wascompleted for CAP3 review.

Corresponding members contributed significantly to the substance of this report.

As soon as it was formed, the committee created a corre-spondents group to review draft materials, respond to ques-tions, and otherwise provide ideas and information forconsideration by the committee. Corresponding membersare mostly civil engineers from the public and private sectorsand academia. (Corresponding members and other contrib-utors are listed in Appendix E.) Corresponding members,some of whom reside in other countries, participated inmany e-mail discussions and frequently commented ondraft materials. They contributed significantly to this report.

Using a variety of mecha-nisms, committee mem-bers proactively interacted with stakeholders.

During the course of their work, BOK2 Committee mem-bers spoke at and/or participated in various conferences,workshops and meetings, and wrote BOK-focused articlesand papers for a wide variety of publications. These activitiesprovided additional means of sharing progress and solicitinginput.


Note to the Reader

To assist the reader a list of abbreviations is included asAppendix A; Appendix B is a glossary. Many other appendi-ces, providing various types of detailed information, appearat the end of the report and are cited at least once in the text.Some aspects of the committee’s work required in-depthresearch. Accordingly, the committee documented thatresearch in appendices for readers who may benefit fromand build on it. Examples are Appendices F and G and Kthrough O, which address Bloom’s Taxonomy, the affectivedomain, the humanities and social sciences, sustainability,globalization, public policy, and attitudes. The last appendix,Appendix P—Notes—is keyed to the body of the report viasuperscript numbers.


CHAPTER 2

Body of Knowledge—Knowledge, Skills,

and Attitudes Necessary for Entry

into Professional Practice

Engineers must be society wise as well as technology wise.

Warren Viessman, Jr., P.E., Hon.M.ASCE and civil engineer

Introduction

Outcomes define the knowledge, skills, and atti-tudes needed to enter the practice of civil engineer-ing at the professional level in the 21st century.

Refining the civil engineering BOK for the 21st century chal-lenged the BOK2 Committee, just as defining the initialBOK challenged the first BOK Committee. The committeebegan the refinement process by reviewing the 15 outcomespresented in the original BOK report,3 recent NAEreports,4,5 and other relevant documents. For purposes ofthe civil engineering BOK, outcomes are statements thatdescribe what individuals are expected to know and be ableto do by the time of entry into the practice of civil engineer-ing at the professional level in the 21st century—that is,attain licensure. Outcomes define the knowledge, skills, andattitudes that individuals acquire through appropriate for-mal education and prelicensure experience.

The committee focused on outcomes without considerationof courses, semesters, faculty expectations, co-curricularand extracurricular activities, access and delivery systems,and other administrative and logistical aspects of teaching


and learning the outcomes. For example, topics listed in theoutcomes could appear in more than one course, one coursecould contain many of the outcomes, and, conceivably, oneoutcome could encompass an entire course. Many outcomeswill be partially fulfilled during prelicensure experience.

The committee started with and thoroughly reviewed the original 15 outcomes.

Task groups, composed of members of the BOK2 Commit-tee and others, were formed to review the original 15 out-comes, to evaluate the need for revised and new outcomes,and to consider the possibility of consolidating outcomes.The idea was to determine if the original outcomes were stillappropriate—that is, if they had stood the test of time overthe several years that they have been available for discussionand use. This process, which was guided by Bloom’s Taxon-omy (described in the next section), led the committee to arefined set of outcomes, an explanation for each, and a BOKrubric. Civil engineering department heads reviewed theoutcomes and provided detailed comments, which wereused by the committee to further refine the outcomes, theirexplanations, and the rubric.

Bloom’s Taxonomy

Learning taxonomies help to articulate BOK out-comes and achievement levels.

Articulation of BOK outcomes and related levels of achieve-ment reflects the desire to clarify what should be taught andlearned. Clarification can be achieved through the use oforganizing frameworks or taxonomies that systematicallydifferentiate outcome characteristics and promote commonunderstandings for all potential users of the BOK.

Accordingly, the ASCE Levels of Achievement Subcommit-tee,9 which completed its work in September 2005, under-took a review of the educational psychology literature to findpotential frameworks that might be applicable to the BOK.Specifically, the subcommittee wanted a relatively simpleframework, informed by educational research, which couldlink BOK outcomes to actual learning and achievement. Thetaxonomy that met simplicity and relevancy needs wasBloom’s Taxonomy, as discussed in more detail in Appendi-ces F and G. Bloom’s Taxonomy—published in the Taxonomyof Educational Objectives, the Classification of EducationalGoals, Handbook I: Cognitive Domain10—continues to finduse today. The handbook was “ahead of its time”11 and itsimpact nationally and internationally is well documented.


Bloom’s Taxonomy satis-fied simplicity and rele-vancy needs.

In summary, Bloom’s Taxonomy provides an appropriateframework for the definition of levels of achievement in thecivil engineering BOK because:

■ Bloom’s Taxonomy is widely known and understoodwithin the education community and its application toengineering education is documented in the literature.Thus levels of achievement based on Bloom’s Taxonomyhave broader legitimacy than any internally developedtaxonomy would likely have.

■ Bloom’s emphasis on the use of measurable, action-ori-ented verbs linked to levels of development creates under-standable and implementable outcome statements thatwill support consistent and more effective assessment.

Bloom’s Taxonomy employs three distinct domains: the cog-nitive, the affective, and the psychomotor, which aredescribed10 as follows:

■ “the cognitive domain … includes those objectives [that]deal with the recall or recognition of knowledge and thedevelopment of intellectual abilities and skills.”

■ “the affective domain … includes objectives [that]describe changes in interest, attitudes, and values …”

■ the psychomotor domain includes “the manipulative ormotor-skill area.”

This chapter focuses on the cognitive domain because thatdomain addresses many conventional learning outcomesassociated with engineering. The affective domain is dis-cussed in Appendix G. It has historically received less atten-tion in engineering, although the BOK2 Committeeconsiders its relevance noteworthy and potentially a usefulcomplement to the cognitive domain in engineering. Thethird domain, psychomotor, is not pursued here.

Outcomes: Introduction

The 24 outcomes will broaden and deepen the formal education and pre-licensure experience of civil engineers.

Table 1 introduces the 24 outcomes—4 foundational out-comes, 11 technical outcomes, and 9 professional out-comes—recommended by the BOK2 Committee. Figure 2summarizes the information graphically. The outcomes areorganized by these three categories to further clarify the BOK.

The foundational category warrants some explanation. Thefour outcomes are foundational in two ways. First, these out-


comes help to lay the foundation for the remaining technicaland professional outcomes. They will help the civil engineer-ing student or engineer intern fulfill the technical and pro-fessional outcomes. Second, these four outcomes are thefoundation needed by a well-educated individual in the 21st

century. Equipped with an understanding of mathematics,the natural sciences, and the humanities and social sciences,individuals will be in a position to understand the workingsof the physical world and the behaviors of its inhabitants.The breadth of knowledge included in the foundational out-comes will also offer career and other life options.

Relative to today’s approach, the 24 out-comes in the refined BOK add technical depth and professional practice breadth.

The outcomes collectively describe the BOK—that is, thenecessary depth and breadth of knowledge, skills, and atti-tudes required of an individual aspiring to enter the practiceof civil engineering at the professional level in the 21st cen-tury. Relative to today’s approach, tomorrow’s civil engi-neer—prior to entry into the practice of civil engineering atthe professional level—will:

■ master more mathematics, natural sciences, and engi-neering science fundamentals;

■ maintain technical breadth;

■ acquire broader exposure to the humanities and socialsciences;

■ gain additional professional practice breadth; and

■ achieve greater technical depth—that is, specialization.

Active verbs define, for each outcome, the neces-sary level of achievement.

In Table 1 and Figure 2 outcomes are listed in approximatepedagogical order within the foundational, technical, andprofessional categories. Other than approximate pedagogicalorder, no inference, such as relative importance, should bedrawn from the order in which outcomes are listed. Also,outcomes are not necessarily of equal importance even whenthey share identical recommended levels of achievement.Note how active verbs, indicated in bold italics in Table 1and consistent with Bloom’s Taxonomy, help define the levelof achievement recommended for entry into the practice ofcivil engineering at the professional level.

Outcomes: Enhanced Clarity

The evolution from 15 outcomes in the BOK1 report to 24outcomes in this BOK2 report warrants discussion. In review-ing the original 15 outcomes, the committee determined that


Table 1. Entry into the practice of civil engineering at the professional level requires fulfilling 24 outcomes to the various levels of achievement.

Key: L1 through L6 refers to these levels of achievement:Level 1 (L1) - KnowledgeLevel 2 (L2) - ComprehensionLevel 3 (L3) - ApplicationLevel 4 (L4) - AnalysisLevel 5 (L5) - SynthesisLevel 6 (L6) - EvaluationOutcome number and title

To enter the practice of civil engineering at the professional level, an individual must be able to demonstrate this level of achievement.

Foundational Outcomes1Mathematics

Solve problems in mathematics through differential equations and apply this knowledge to the solution of engineering problems. (L3)

2Natural sciences

Solve problems in calculus-based physics, chemistry, and one additional area of natural science and apply this knowledge to the solution of engineering problems. (L3)

3Humanities

Demonstrate the importance of the humanities in the professional practice of engineering (L3)

4Social sciences

Demonstrate the incorporation of social sciences knowledge into the professional practice of engineering. (L3)

Technical Outcomes5Materials science

Use knowledge of materials science to solve problems appropriate to civil engineering. (L3)

6Mechanics

Analyze and solve problems in solid and fluid mechanics. (L4)

7Experiments

Specify an experiment to meet a need, conduct the experiment, and analyze and explain the resulting data. (L5)

8Problem recognition and solving

Formulate and solve an ill-defined engineering problem appropriate to civil engineering by selecting and applying appropriate techniques and tools. (L4)

9Design

Evaluate the design of a complex system, component, or process and assess compliance with customary standards of practice, user’s and project’s needs, and relevant constraints. (L6)

10Sustainability

Analyze systems of engineered works, whether traditional or emergent, for sustainable performance. (L4)

11Contemporary issues and historical perspectives

Analyze the impact of historical and contemporary issues on the identification, formulation, and solution of engineering problems and analyze the impact of engineering solutions on the economy, environment, political landscape, and society. (L4)


12Risk and uncertainty

Analyze the loading and capacity, and the effects of their respective uncertainties, for a well-defined design and illustrate the underlying probability of failure (or nonperformance) for a specified failure mode. (L4)

13Project management

Formulate documents to be incorporated into the project plan. (L4)

14Breadth in civil engineering areas

Analyze and solve well-defined engineering problems in at least four technical areas appropriate to civil engineering. (L4)

15Technical specialization

Evaluate the design of a complex system or process, or evaluate the validity of newly created knowledge or technologies in a traditional or emerging advanced specialized technical area appropriate to civil engineering. (L6)

Professional Outcomes16Communication

Plan, compose, and integrate the verbal, written, virtual, and graphical communication of a project to technical and non-technical audiences. (L5)

17Public policy

Apply public policy process techniques to simple public policy problems related to civil engineering works. (L3)

18Business and public administration

Apply business and public administration concepts and processes. (L3)

19Globalization

Analyze engineering works and services in order to function at a basic level in a global context. (L4)

20Leadership

Organize and direct the efforts of a group. (L4)

21Teamwork

Function effectively as a member of a multidisciplinary team. (L4)

22Attitudes

Demonstrate attitudes supportive of the professional practice of civil engineering. (L3)

23Lifelong learning

Plan and execute the acquisition of required expertise appropriate for professional practice. (L5)

24Professional and ethical responsibility

Justify a solution to an engineering problem based on professional and ethical standards and assess personal professional and ethical development. (L6)

Table 1. Entry into the practice of civil engineering at the professional level requires fulfilling 24 outcomes to the various levels of achievement. (Continued)


some of the individual outcomes could be clarified if theywere presented as two or more outcomes.

For example, BOK1 outcome 1—the technical core—nomi-nally becomes, in this BOK2 report, four outcomes: 1(mathematics), 2 (natural sciences), 5 (materials science),and 6 (mechanics). Similarly, BOK1 outcome 10 (contempo-rary issues) nominally becomes outcome 11 (contemporaryissues and historical perspectives) and outcome 19 (global-ization). (These and the other relationships between the 15BOK1 outcomes and the 24 BOK2 outcomes are shown inAppendix H.)

While some outcomes were added to further clarify theBOK1 outcomes, other outcomes were added to clarify otheraspects of the BOK. For example, consider ABET’s Criteriafor Accrediting Engineering Programs.12 “Criterion 4, Pro-fessional Component” in the General Criteria for Basic LevelPrograms states that one required element of the profes-sional component is “a general education component thatcomplements the technical content of the curriculum and isconsistent with the program and institution objectives.”Given the importance of this general education requirementand the effort expended on general education in the typicalcivil engineering curriculum, the BOK2 Committeeendorsed this important requirement and concluded that itshould be defined in terms of outcomes. Accordingly, thecommittee added outcome 3 (humanities) and outcome 4(social sciences).

The ABET Program Criteria for Civil and Similarly NamedEngineering Programs12 calls for “proficiency in a minimumof four recognized major civil engineering areas.” The BOK2Committee concluded that this well-intentioned requirementshould be clarified with the assistance of Bloom’s Taxonomy.The result is outcome 14, breadth in civil engineering areas.

The larger number of out-comes provides specificity and clarity without add-ing to the time required to fulfill them.

In summary, the evolution from 15 outcomes to 24 out-comes further describes the BOK. The larger number of out-comes provides specificity and clarity, without adding to thetime required to fulfill the BOK through formal educationand prelicensure experience.

Reaching the recommended levels of achievement to fulfillthe BOK will be accomplished through a combination offormal education and early experience. The next major sec-tion of this report presents a comprehensive discussion offulfilling the BOK.


Form table master page


Level of Achievement

1 2 3 4 5 6


Foundational

1. Mathematics

2. Natural sciences

3. Humanities

4. Social sciences

Technical

5. Materials science

6. Mechanics

7. Experiments

8. Problem recognition and solving

9. Design

10. Sustainability

11. Contemp. issues & hist. perspectives

12. Risk and uncertainty

13. Project management

14. Breadth in civil engineering areas

15. Technical specialization

Professional

16. Communication

17. Public policy

18. Business and public administration

19. Globalization

20. Leadership

21. Teamwork

22. Attitudes

23. Lifelong learning

24. Professional and ethical responsibility

Figure 2. Entry into the practice of civil engineering at the professional level requires fulfilling 24 outcomes to the appropriate levels of achievement.


CHAPTER 3

Fulfilling the Body of Knowledge

Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.

Chinese proverb

Introduction

The preceding chapter of this report introduced the revisedBOK necessary for entry into the professional practice ofcivil engineering. The content of the preceding sectionmight be considered the “what,” as in what knowledge, skills,and attitudes are required to enter professional practice?Building on that introduction, this chapter focuses on the“how” and addresses this in two ways.

This chapter discusses how tomorrow’s aspiring civil engineer could fulfill the BOK.

The first way is “how” the BOK could be fulfilled by tomor-row’s aspiring civil engineer, using formal education andprelicensure experience,13 to address the 24 foundational,technical, and professional outcomes at the designated levelsof achievement. More specifically, this chapter describes twopaths to fulfillment, presents a rubric that indicates the rolesof education and prelicensure experience, introduces expla-nations for each of the outcomes, and outlines options forvalidating BOK fulfillment.

The BOK is the foundation of the master plan for implementing ASCE Policy Statement 465.

The second way this chapter addresses “how” is by explain-ing “how” the BOK is the foundation of the master plan forimplementing ASCE PS 465. Related to this is a presentationof “how” the BOK could be used by various civil engineeringstakeholders.


Outcomes: Paths to Fulfillment

ASCE PS 465 states that fulfillment of the BOK will includea combination of:

BOK fulfillment will require a baccalaureate degree, a master’s degree or equiva-lent, and experience.

■ a baccalaureate degree in civil engineering;

■ a master’s degree, or approximately 30 coordinated graduateor upper-level undergraduate semester credits or the equiv-alent agency/organization/professional society courses pro-viding equal quality and rigor; and

■ appropriate experience based upon broad technical andprofessional practice guidelines that provide sufficientflexibility for a wide range of roles in engineering practice.

In symbolic form, this portion of PS 465 is referred to as:

B + M/30 & E

This means the “bachelor’s plus master’s, or approximately30 semester credits of acceptable graduate-level or upper-level undergraduate courses in a specialized technical areaand/or professional practice area related to civil engineering,and experience.” Briefly, this may be stated as bachelor’s pluseither master’s or approximately 30 credits, and experience.The B + M/30 portion of this expression represents severaldifferent but related methods to fulfill the formal educa-tional component of the BOK. The E refers to progressive,structured engineering experience that, when combinedwith the educational requirements, results in attainment ofthe requisite civil engineering BOK. Two common fulfill-ment paths are described in the next two sections of thischapter.

To understand the discussions of the BOK fulfillment andvalidation that follow and as noted in Chapter 1, understandthat some of the elements of the BOK may not be translatedinto accreditation criteria and experience requirements inthe near term. Because input into the accreditation andlicensing processes comes from many stakeholders beyondASCE, these processes are not likely to reflect all aspects ofthe civil engineering BOK. Therefore, the two pathsdescribed below do not guarantee the total fulfillment andabsolute validation of the BOK. ASCE is optimistic that theaccreditation and licensing processes will change over timeto adopt a more BOK-centric approach. As this occurs agrowing proportion of the BOK will be reflected in theaccreditation and licensure requirements.


Path 1 to Fulfillment

Path 1 for fulfilling the BOK in the future can be symbolizedas:

Path 1 begins with an ABET-accredited bacca-laureate degree.

BABET + (M/30)Validated & E

The B refers to a baccalaureate degree in civil engineeringaccredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commissionof ABET, Inc. (EAC/ABET). The M/30 refers to a master’sdegree or equivalent (approximately 30 semester credits ofacceptable graduate-level or upper-level undergraduatecourses in a specialized technical area and/or professionalpractice area related to civil engineering). The M signifiesa program leading to a master’s degree that is not neces-sarily accredited by EAC/ABET. The 30-credit approachdoes not have to lead to a master’s degree. The M/30 mustbe validated. Possible ways to do this are discussed later inthis chapter in the “Outcomes: Validating Fulfillment”section.

The M or the 30 portion of this path can be accomplishedequally well by traditional campus-based courses or by dis-tance learning delivery systems, or a combination of the two.In the future, all of the 30 might be delivered through inde-pendently evaluated, high-quality, standards-based educa-tional programs offered by firms, government agencies,professional societies, and for-profit educational organiza-tions. Clearly, distance learning and independent educa-tional programs are likely to become more prevalent andimportant in the future for both degree and non-degreegranting programs.

Path 2 to Fulfillment

Path 2 for fulfilling the BOK in the future can be symbolizedas:

B + MABET & E

Path 2 includes an ABET-accredited master’s degree.

While the baccalaureate degree associated with this path isnot required to be an ABET/EAC accredited degree in civilengineering, the master’s degree is an ABET/EAC accrediteddegree in or related to civil engineering. ASCE has pursuedimportant modifications to ABET accreditation criteria andpolicies to make this a viable alternative path in the future.

In addition to paths 1 and 2 as explained above, ASCE con-tinues to explore other paths for fulfilling the civil engineer-


ing BOK. Some of the additional paths being explored are forthose who have a bachelor’s degree in other engineering dis-ciplines, a bachelor’s degree not in engineering, or a bache-lor’s degree in engineering technology, but who are unable topursue path 2 described above. ASCE wishes to attract indi-viduals to the civil engineering profession from nontradi-tional routes—while trying to ensure that all of those whoenter the professional practice of civil engineering have thenecessary knowledge, skills, and attitudes.

Outcomes: Rubric

The outcome rubric pres-ents the outcomes, required levels of achieve-ment for each, and the roles of education and experience.

Building on the recommendations of the Levels of Achieve-ment Subcommittee,19 the BOK2 Committee developed theoutcome rubric14 presented in detail as Appendix I and sum-marized graphically in Figure 3. The rubric communicatesthe following BOK characteristics:

1. The 24 outcomes, categorized as foundational, technical,and professional and, within each category, organized inapproximate pedagogical order while not reflecting rela-tive importance.

2. The recommended level of achievement that an individ-ual must demonstrate for each outcome to enter thepractice of civil engineering at the professional level.

3. For each outcome, the portion of the level of achieve-ment to be fulfilled through the bachelor’s degree, theportion to be fulfilled through the master’s degree orequivalent, and the portion to be fulfilled through preli-censure experience.

BOK features illustrated in Figure 3 and Appendix I include:

The bachelor’s degree is the foundation of all outcomes.

1. All 24 outcomes—with the exception of outcome 15(technical specialization)—are fulfilled, at least throughlevel 2 (comprehension), via formal education in a bac-calaureate program. The bachelor’s degree lays the foun-dation for all outcomes and provides a broadbackground in the natural sciences, the humanities, thesocial sciences, and engineering.

2. For six outcomes (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6), the necessary levelsof achievement are fulfilled entirely through the bache-lor’s degree. Coupled with the preceding observation,this emphasizes the importance of a broad baccalaureateeducation that provides a solid foundation for higher-level education (M/30) and prelicensure experience.


Form table master page


Level of Achievement1 2 3 4 5 6


Foundational1. Mathematics B B B

2. Natural sciences B B B

3. Humanities B B B

4. Social sciences B B B

Technical5. Materials science B B B

6. Mechanics B B B B

7. Experiments B B B B M/30

8. Problem recognition and solving B B B M/30

9. Design B B B B B E

10. Sustainability B B B E

11. Contemp. issues & hist. perspectives B B B E

12. Risk and uncertainty B B B E

13. Project management B B B E

14. Breadth in civil engineering areas B B B B

15. Technical specialization B M/30 M/30 M/30 M/30 E

Professional16. Communication B B B B E

17. Public policy B B E

18. Business and public administration B B E

19. Globalization B B B E

20. Leadership B B B E

21. Teamwork B B B E

22. Attitudes B B E

23. Lifelong learning B B B E E

24. Professional and ethical responsibility B B B B E E

Key:B

Portion of the BOK fulfilled through the bachelor’s degree

M/30Portion of the BOK fulfilled through the master’s degree or equivalent (approximately 30 semester credits of acceptable graduate-level or upper-level undergraduate courses in a specialized technical area and/or professional practice area related to civil engineering)

EPortion of the BOK fulfilled through the prelicensure experience

Figure 3. The BOK rubric integrates outcomes, levels of achievement, formal education, and prelicensure experience.


3. The M/30 helps to fulfill three outcomes (7, 8, and 15)and is the primary means by which outcome 15, techni-cal specialization, is accomplished. Outcome 15 and thesupporting role of outcomes 7 and 8 at the M/30 levelprovide the greater technical depth in the BOK.

Experience is essential for fulfilling almost two thirds of the outcomes.

4. For 15 outcomes (outcomes 9 through 13 and 15through 24), almost two thirds of the total, experience isneeded, in addition to formal education, to enter thepractice of civil engineering at the professional level.This reinforces the need for education/experience part-nerships in fulfilling the BOK.

5. As suggested by the dominance of the B cells in Figure 3,most of the formal education in the BOK occurs duringthe bachelor’s degree program. This provides an educa-tional foundation shared across civil engineering.Accordingly, completion of a well-rounded and broadbaccalaureate program at one institution offers theoption of a transportable progression to a more focusedand specialized master’s degree or equivalent at anotherschool or in another program.

Consider the portion of the rubric to the right of the cellscontaining the B, M/30, and E notations. The BOK2 Com-mittee used a reverse process in developing the rubric. Thecommittee first “filled in” the entire rubric—that is, all six ofBloom’s Taxonomy levels for 24 outcomes (144 cells)—priorto selecting the levels of achievement needed for entry intothe practice of civil engineering at the professional level.And only after those levels were established did the commit-tee, working in reverse, make decisions concerning the rec-ommended roles of B, M/30, and E.

The committee first estab-lished achievement levels needed for entry into pro-fessional practice and then addressed the roles of education and experience.

After completing this systematic reverse process, the com-mittee decided to retain the Bloom’s Taxonomy-based infor-mation in the cells to the right of the B-M/30-E cells inAppendix I because some of that information may be usefulto various rubric users. Three examples:

■ A faculty member, student, or engineer intern might note,for any outcome, the level of achievement in the cellimmediately to the right of the cell defining the level ofachievement needed at the completion of the B or M/30or for entry into professional practice. The former willhelp the user further understand the latter.

■ Another example of the potential usefulness of the “rightside” of the rubric is based on the realization that therubric defines the minimum level of achievement for each


outcome. An individual—a student or engineer intern,for example—or an entity, such as a civil engineeringdepartment or an engineering employer, may want to gobeyond the suggested minimums. The higher levels ofachievement described in the “right side” cells would beuseful in defining going beyond minimums.

■ Some ASCE institutes are engaged in specialty certifica-tion for which licensure is one requirement. Specialty cer-tification criteria could build upon the BOK2 outcomesand their minimum achievement levels.

The process used by the committee to eventually establishthe B, M/30, and E cells in the rubric could also be appliedby educators and by engineering organization managers. Forexample, faculty designing new or revised undergraduatecurricula, could, for each outcome, begin with the highestlevel of achievement for that outcome, within the baccalau-reate program. Then, working in reverse, they could designor redesign related curricular elements. Similarly, leaderswithin engineering organizations could, for each outcomerequiring experience, note the highest level of achievementfor that outcome to be accomplished via experience. Then,working in reverse, they could design a coaching, mentor-ing, and education and training program for interns to assistthem in fulfilling the BOK.

Outcomes: Explanations

Non-prescriptive explana-tions are provided to aid BOK stakeholders—that is, faculty, students, engi-neer interns, and practitioners.

The BOK2 Committee developed explanations for each ofthe 24 outcomes. These explanations are designed to helpfaculty who teach aspiring civil engineers and practitionerswho recruit, employ, supervise, coach, or mentor prelicen-sure civil engineers. The explanations will also aid both civilengineering students and civil engineer interns—that is,individuals who are preparing for entry into the professionalpractice of civil engineering. To reiterate, explanations are tobe helpful in communicating the intent and content of out-comes—they are not prescriptive. Outcomes paired withexplanations provide a desirable deliverable for stakehold-ers; Bloom’s Taxonomy-based outcomes relying on activeverbs, each outcome supported by a descriptive and illustra-tive explanation.

Outcomes are viewed as being applicable over a long periodof time—years, for example. In contrast, some illustrativetopics mentioned in the explanations will be ephemeral,


requiring modification in response to stakeholder needs,technological advances, and other changes.

Using a format of one or two explanations per page, theexplanations are presented in Appendix J. This formatenables the reader to readily move from one outcome toanother. The format for each explanation begins with anoverview section that presents the rationale for the outcomeand defines terms, as needed.

The overview is followed by a section, denoted by B, thatstates the minimum level of achievement to be fulfilledthrough the bachelor’s degree. The level of achievement istaken directly from the rubric. The code L1, L2, L3, L4, L5,or L6 is included to reiterate, respectively, the followingBloom’s Taxonomy level of achievement that is to be accom-plished: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis,synthesis, and evaluation. The B section goes on to offerideas on curricular and, in some cases, co-curricular andextracurricular ways to enable the aspiring civil engineer toreach the required levels of achievement.

As appropriate for the outcome, the B section is followed byan M/30 (master’s degree or equivalent) and/or an E (experi-ence) section. As with the B section, these sections offerideas on how an individual, within his or her courses or dur-ing his or her prelicensure experience, can attain the neces-sary minimum levels of achievement.

Outcomes: Validating Fulfillment

Earlier in this chapter, two paths were presented for the ful-fillment of the civil engineering BOK. These paths representdifferent but related fulfillment models. The two fulfillmentpaths also correspond to two models for validating an indi-vidual’s attainment of the BOK.

Validation of Path 1 to Body of Knowledge Fulfillment

Table 2 summarizes the following three-step model for vali-dating path 1:

Validation of path 1 to BOK fulfillment relies on ABET, an approved outside entity, and licensing boards.

Step 1: ABET, Inc., validates the fulfillment of the B com-ponent of the BOK (see Figure 3) through the formalaccreditation processes of the Engineering AccreditationCommission of ABET (EAC/ABET). Specifically, the cri-teria for an accredited bachelor’s degree in civil engineer-


ing contains the appropriate language that validates theportion of the BOK fulfilled through the bachelor’s degree.This language is included within the General Criteria forBaccalaureate Level Programs and the Program Criteriafor Civil and Similarly Named Engineering Programs ofthe Criteria for Accrediting Engineering Programs.

Step 2: Accreditation of the civil engineering master’sdegree by the EAC/ABET is not relied upon in path 1,even though it is an acceptable and efficient means of val-idating the M/30 component of the BOK. More generally,an approved outside entity (AOE) validates the fulfill-ment of the M/30 component of the BOK (see Figure 3)outside of the normal EAC/ABET accreditation process.Because the B components included in the baccalaureate-level general criteria and the program criteria have beenvalidated by the EAC/ABET, the validation by an AOE islimited to the M/30 component. Alternative approachesfor validating the M/30 component of the BOK wereexplored by the CAP3 Fulfillment and Validation Com-mittee.15 The National Council of Examiners for Engi-neering and Surveying (NCEES) is also actively workingto define AOEs in conjunction with revisions to theNCEES Model Law and the NCEES Model Rules. CAP3 isconfident that these efforts will confirm that validation ofthe M/30 component of the BOK by AOEs is viable—andwill be more clearly defined in the near future.

Step 3: Historically, individual state licensing boards havevalidated an individual’s completion of required prelicen-sure experiential development. In the short term, CAP3’svalidation model will continue to use individual statelicensing boards for validating the E component of theBOK. Because the current experience guidelines used bystate licensing boards are not based upon the BOK out-comes, the validation of the portion of the BOK fulfilledthrough prelicensure experience is incomplete. In Febru-ary 2007, CAP3 established an Experience Committee toconduct initial exploratory research on alternatives tohandling experience guidelines for entry into the civilengineering profession. This committee completed itsreport16 in July 2007. (See the “Experience Guidelines”section later in this chapter for additional discussion ofthe experience component.)


Validation of Path 2 to Body of Knowledge Fulfillment

Table 3 summarizes the following two-step model for vali-dating path 2:

Validation of path 2 to BOK fulfillment is based on ABET and licensing boards.

Step 1: Accreditation of the bachelor’s degree by ABET isnot relied upon in path 2, even though perfectly accept-able. Instead, ABET validates the fulfillment of both the Band the M/30 components of the BOK (see Figure 3)through an EAC/ABET-accredited master’s degree. Spe-cifically, the criteria for an accredited master’s degree incivil engineering contains all of the appropriate languagefor validating the portion of the BOK fulfilled throughthe bachelor’s degree (which may not be accredited byEAC/ABET) and the master’s degree (which must beaccredited by EAC/ABET). This language is includedwithin the General Criteria for Masters Level Programs inthe Criteria for Accrediting Engineering Programs. Themaster’s level general criteria state:

The criteria for masters level programs are ful-fillment of the baccalaureate level general crite-ria, fulfillment of program criteria appropriateto the masters level specialization area, and oneacademic year of study beyond the basic level.The program must demonstrate that graduateshave an ability to apply masters level knowledgein a specialized area of engineering related tothe program area.

This wording was crafted to validate both the B and M/30components of the BOK—for all individuals earning anEAC/ABET master’s degree in civil engineering.

Table 2. Validation of path 1 to body of knowledge fulfillment.

BABET + (M/30)Validated & E

Step ValidationComponent validated

(from Figure 3) Validation entity#1 B ABET B ABET, Inc.

#2M Validated

or 30 Validated

M/30Approved outside entity

#3 E EState licensing board


Step 2: This step is identical to the third step of the previ-ous validation model. It uses the individual state licensingboards for validating the E component of the BOK.

In summary, two models are available for validating an indi-vidual’s attainment of the BOK. Path 2 offers the opportunityfor a strong student with a non-accredited engineering degree,or with a science or mathematics degree, to fulfill the civilengineering BOK. It is simpler—relying solely on existingaccreditation and licensing organizations. Path 1, while morecomplex, ensures the most flexible path for BOK fulfillment.

The Vision for Civil Engineering in 2025 and the Body of Knowledge: The

Foundation of the Policy Statement 465 Master Plan

Introduction

The master plan for imple-mentation of ASCE Policy Statement 465 is founded on the BOK.

Earlier sections of this chapter addressed the question, howis the BOK fulfilled by tomorrow’s aspiring civil engineer?This section addresses the different and more strategic ques-tion of how the BOK is used by ASCE to change the prereq-uisites for entry into the professional practice of civilengineering. The concise answer is that the BOK is used asthe starting point of the entire ASCE master plan17 to “raisethe bar” for entry into professional practice. In other words,the BOK is the foundation of the ASCE master plan toimplement PS 465.

Overview of the Master Plan

The master plan must be understood in order to appreciatehow the BOK is used by ASCE to implement PS 465. ASCE’scomplex, multidimensional and integrated master plan, as

Table 3. Validation of path 2 to body of knowledge fulfillment.

B + MABET & E

Step ValidationComponent validated

(from Figure 3) Validation entity

#1 M ABETB

ABET, Inc.M

#2 E EState licensing board


shown in Figure 4, is based entirely on the BOK. In execut-ing this plan, ASCE will use the BOK to change the educa-tional and licensure processes of the civil engineeringprofession, including:

■ accreditation criteria of engineering programs,

■ university curricula,

■ on-the-job education and training of engineer interns,

■ NCEES Model Law and Model Rules, and,

■ ultimately state, District of Columbia, and U.S. territorylaws and regulations governing the licensure of practicingprofessional engineers.

The various elements of this plan are discussed in the fol-lowing section.

The Master Plan: Work Products and Committees

The work products associated with this master plan, as wellas the committees working on these products, are brieflyexplained below. These products are also being integratedinto the ASCE strategic planning process. (For additionaldetails about the work products of the CAP3 committees,visit www.asce.org/raisethebar.)

Figure 4. ASCE’s master plan for implementing Policy Statement 465 builds on the Vision for Civil Engineering in 2025 and the body of knowledge.

Curricula

Primary Input Key Input

NCEES Model Law

NCEES Model Rule

Laws/Rules of 56 Licensing Boards

Experience Guidelines

Vision for Civil Engineering in 2025 Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge (BOK)

B + M or 30 Guidelines Accreditation

Criteria

www.asce.org/raisethebar


The Vision for Civil Engineering in 2025: As explained inChapter 1 of this report, ASCE intends that the documentThe Vision for Civil Engineering in 20251 will guide policies,plans, processes, and progress within the civil engineeringcommunity and beyond, worldwide. Reform in the educa-tion and prelicensure experience of civil engineers supportsthe vision explained in the Vision document. The vision isstrategic, future-oriented, comprehensive, and aspira-tional—characteristics shared by the BOK. As such, Visionis the primary guiding document for developing the civilengineering BOK and the logical starting point for themaster plan guiding the realization of ASCE PS 465.

The refined BOK described in this report strengthens the master plan’s foundation.

Body of Knowledge: The BOK is the foundational docu-ment of the entire ASCE Master Plan to Implement PS465. The BOK1 Committee was formed in May 2002 andcharged to define the knowledge, skills, and attitudesneeded to enter the practice of civil engineering at theprofessional level. The committee published the CivilEngineering Body of Knowledge for the 21st Century: Pre-paring the Civil Engineer for the Future in January 2004.3A new BOK committee (the BOK2 Committee) wasappointed in October 2005 to prepare and publish thisrefined second edition of the BOK. (See Appendix E forthe details regarding the BOK2 Committee and manyothers who contributed to the preparation of this report.)

Curricula: As BOK1 was nearing completion in late2003, CAP3 organized a group consisting primarily, butnot exclusively, of civil engineering faculty to, first, deter-mine the current status of civil engineering educationwith respect to the formal educational component of thefirst edition of the BOK and, second, determine thenature of change necessary to support the formal educa-tional expectations of the BOK. The Curricula Commit-tee of CAP3 was given this charge in September 2003.

The Curricula Committee, which completed its report18

in December 2006, concluded that:

■ The original BOK “is not accomplished within cur-rent (undergraduate) civil engineering curricula.”

■ The formal education component of the originalBOK, “except for the outcome regarding technicalspecialization, can be included in the undergraduatecurriculum.”

■ “Specialized technical knowledge is best accom-plished in a postgraduate program of study.”


ASCE and the National Academy of Engineering are aligned.

The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) reachedsimilar conclusions in its 2005 report.5 NAE report rec-ommendations include the following: “The B.S. degreeshould be considered as a pre-engineering or ‘engineer intraining’ degree. Engineering programs should be accred-ited at both the B.S. and M.S. levels so that the M.S.degree can be recognized as the engineering ‘professional’degree.”

A new curricula-related committee, the BOK EducationalFulfillment Committee, was formed in late 2007 andcharged with reviewing the second edition of the BOKand associated work products that affect the formal edu-cational process.

New BOK-consistent accreditation criteria will be applied for the first time during the 2008-2009 accreditation cycle.

Accreditation Criteria: Using the BOK1 as its primaryreference, the CAP3 Accreditation Committee craftednew civil engineering program criteria and new master’s-level criteria.19 These criteria, which were approved bythe ABET Board of Direction in November 2007, will beused for the first time during the 2008–2009 accreditationcycle.

The Accreditation Committee also drafted the ASCEcommentary to the criteria.20 This draft commentaryprovides civil engineering program evaluators withguidelines for applying the new criteria and provides civilengineering faculty with recommended measures toensure full, robust implementation of the BOK1. Usingthese new criteria and this commentary, civil engineeringprograms will be accredited within the context of the CivilEngineering Body of Knowledge for the 21st Century: Pre-paring the Civil Engineer for the Future.

Experience guidelines are being developed.

Experience Guidelines: As discussed earlier in this chap-ter, pre-licensure experience is essential to fulfillment ofthe BOK. Using the BOK2 as its basic reference, a newBOK Experiential Fulfillment Committee will review,prepare, and publish guidelines to assist the engineerintern in achieving those outcomes identified for partialfulfillment through on-the-job education and training.The work products of this committee will be posted assoon as they are available at www.asce.org/raisethebar.

B + M or 30 Guidelines: Based upon the fulfillmentmodels presented in the first edition of the Civil Engineer-ing Body of Knowledge for the 21st Century, the Fulfillmentand Validation Committee of CAP3 began work in Sep-tember 2004. This committee explored how alternative

www.asce.org/raisethebar


education providers, other than universities, could pro-vide creditable postgraduate engineering education. Itinvestigated alternative education providers that couldprovide academic rigor and individual assessment com-parable to traditional universities. This committee alsoaddressed how to validate the “+30” portion of the BOK.The committee’s 2005 report15 influenced the contents ofthe Model Law and Model Rules proposed by the NCEES.

Several committees worked, or will be working, on ele-ments related to the B + M/30 guidelines to supplementthe report of the Fulfillment and Validation Committee.For example:

■ The September 2005 report9 of the Levels of Achieve-ment Subcommittee of the Curricula Committee ofCAP3 recommended the portion of the prelicensurelevel of achievement to be fulfilled through the bache-lor’s degree, the master’s degree or equivalent, and pre-licensure experience. The BOK2 Committee appliedthis type of allocation to its recommended 24outcomes.

■ The Licensure Committee of CAP3 is working withthe NCEES Bachelor’s +30 Task Force to develop def-initions for approved credits and approved courseproviders for inclusion in the NCEES Model Rules.

■ The CAP3 BOK Educational Fulfillment Committee(BOKEdFC) will be reviewing the work products ofthe BOK2 Committee—particularly the BOK2 rubricand “where” each outcome should be fulfilled.

■ The CAP3 BOK Experiential Fulfillment Committee(BOKExFC) will be preparing guidelines to assistengineer interns in achieving outcome fulfillmentthrough on-the-job education and training.

The 2006 changes in the NCEES Model Law support BOK fulfillment.

Model Law, Model Rules, and State Licensing Laws/Rules: ASCE PS 465 states that the attainment of a BOKwould be accomplished through the adoption of appro-priate engineering education and experience require-ments as a prerequisite for licensure. In other words,ASCE has unequivocally decided that implementation ofASCE PS 465 requires that the BOK be tied to the profes-sion’s licensure process.

The National Council of Examiners for Engineering andSurveying (NCEES) has been studying this issue for thelast six years. As a result, the Engineering Licensure Qual-


ifications Task Force (ELQTF) Report was released in2003. The report was prepared in collaboration with 11other engineering societies, including the National Soci-ety of Professional Engineers (NSPE). The report recom-mended that additional education be considered as partof the requirements for licensure in the future. The taskforce report was issued to the Licensure QualificationsOversight Group (LQOG) of the NCEES. The LQOGperformed additional research and considered the con-clusions and recommendations of the ELQTF from anNCEES and regulatory perspective. In 2005, the conceptof the bachelor’s plus was approved by the NCEES andsubsequently, in 2006, the Uniform Policies & LegislativeGuidelines (UP&LG) committee drafted language tomodify the Model Law to include the bachelor’s + 30 con-cept beginning in 2015.

In September 2006, delegates at the NCEES annual meet-ing approved the modifications to the Model Lawrequirements to require additional education for engi-neering licensure. This future-focused change to theNCEES Model Law was confirmed by delegates at theAugust 2007 NCEES annual meeting.

The approved language states that an engineer intern witha bachelor’s degree must have an additional 30 semestercredits of acceptable upper-level undergraduate or gradu-ate-level coursework from approved providers in order tobe admitted to the Principles and Practice of Engineering(P.E.) Examination. A master’s degree or Ph.D. from anapproved institution would also qualify. The change, to beeffective in 2015, is a recommendation to each of the 55licensing jurisdictions,21 which individually will have tomodify their state laws and/or rules to reflect the newNCEES Model Law and Model Rules. Up-to-date informa-tion concerning changes to the NCEES Model Law andModel Rules can be found at www.ncees.org/licensure/licensure_exchange/.

In summary, this section describes how the BOK is beingused by ASCE as the foundation for the entire master plan toimplement PS 465. The BOK affects the work products ofevery constituent committee of CAP3.

www.ncees.org/licensure/licensure_exchange/

www.ncees.org/licensure/licensure_exchange/


Other Ways the Body of Knowledge Could Be Used

The BOK is relevant to many and varied civil engineering stakeholders.

When well crafted, a profession’s BOK speaks to all segmentsof the profession. While the messages may differ among thevarious segments, all can view the BOK as common ground.The BOK is a foundation on which a profession’s membersstudy and build careers, carry out their responsibilities, andpursue opportunities. Consider the relevance of BOK2 tovarious members of and stakeholders in the civil engineer-ing community. The BOK2:

■ offers prospective civil engineering students, and their par-ents, teachers, counselors, and advisors, a glimpse of theimportance of civil engineering and the breadth of oppor-tunities offered;

■ assists civil engineering and other faculty in designing cur-ricula, creating and improving courses, and teaching andcounseling students;

■ offers researchers ideas on future directions of civil engi-neering and related technical needs and defines theknowledge, skills, and attitudes that should be offered bystudents seeking to engage in research;

■ provides civil engineering students and engineer internswith a framework against which they can understand thepurpose, measure the progress, and plan the completionof their studies and prelicensure experience;

■ gives ABET leaders a basis for developing appropriateaccreditation criteria;

■ informs employers what they can expect in terms of basicknowledge, skills, and attitudes possessed by civil engi-neering graduates;

■ suggests to practitioners their role, in partnership with indi-vidual engineer interns prior to licensure, in helping themattain the additional levels of achievement needed to enterthe practice of civil engineering at the professional level;

■ provides licensing boards with confidence that the formaleducation and prelicensure experience of civil engineerswill meet the engineering profession’s responsibility toprotect public safety, health, and welfare; and

■ encourages specialty certification boards to build on theprelicensure BOK in defining their desired mastery levelof achievement.


CHAPTER 4

Guidance for Faculty, Students, Engineer

Interns, and Practitioners

In a time of drastic change, it is the learners who inherit the future. The learned usually find themselves

equipped to live in a world that no longer exists. Eric Hoffer, self-taught social philosopher

Introduction

BOK guidance is offered for faculty, students, engi-neer interns, and practitioners.

ASCE’s 1995 Civil Engineering Education Conference22 rec-ommended action in four areas: professional degrees, inte-grated curriculum, faculty development, and practitionerinvolvement. ASCE Policy Statement 465, in a broad sense,addresses all four. For example, the “what” and “how” of thisBOK report—which are the themes of Chapter 2 and Chap-ter 3—relate directly to “professional degrees” and “an inte-grated curriculum.” The “who” forms the theme of thischapter, because the chapter addresses “faculty develop-ment” and the complementary topic of “practitionerinvolvement.” Also discussed within the chapter are studentsand engineer interns, both of whom are the principal BOKlearners and beneficiaries.

PS 465 and its foundation, the BOK, are intended to reformthe education and prelicensure experience of tomorrow’scivil engineers. The resulting changes will naturally raiseconcern for some individuals. Accordingly, the chapter pre-sumes that gradual implementation of the BOK will causemany affected members of the civil engineering communityto be receptive to guidance. As noted, these members are


very likely to include faculty members, students, engineerinterns, and practitioners—especially those who coach andmentor engineer interns.

Any guidance that might be offered to those individualsmust be credible. Accordingly, a variety of accomplishedprofessionals drawn from academia and practice and fromthe private and public sectors were invited to offer guidanceideas for one of the four “who” groups. The “Contributors toSpecial Tasks” section of Appendix E lists the individualswho kindly accepted the BOK2 Committee’s invitation, drewon their knowledge and experience, and provided guidance.Their ideas, edited for brevity and consistency, are the sub-stance of this chapter. This chapter is written partly in sec-ond person to stress the guidance objective—that is, thechapter speaks to you as an interested faculty member, stu-dent, engineer intern, or practitioner. The committee is con-fident you will find, within this chapter, insights and adviceapplicable to your particular situation.

Guidance for Faculty

As noted by ABET, “The faculty is the heart of any educationprogram.” You, as a civil engineering faculty member, areamong the first representatives of the profession who mostfuture civil engineers encounter and, as such, serve as theirfirst professional role models. Therefore, in a very real sense,the future of civil engineering is dependent upon you andyour colleagues. Earning and maintaining the respect of thepublic as professionals and leaders require that future engi-neers be well prepared.

Respecting the crucial role of teachers, the committee contemplated the ideal civil engineering faculty of the future and their even more important role.

The BOK2 Committee contemplated the ideal civil engi-neering faculty of the future and their important role in edu-cating future generations of civil engineers. Who should thefaculty be, as individuals and collectively? What will enablethem to be successful in facilitating the accomplishment ofthe BOK? How can they present themselves with a profes-sional attitude and as positive role models? How can theydevelop graduates who can creatively apply concepts to rec-ognize, define, and solve engineering problems? What arethe characteristics required of educators to aid them inmotivating and guiding students toward the achievement ofthe BOK? And how can they do all this while also support-ing their own professional development as well as the spe-cific mission of their academic institution?


Interactions between students and teachers can affect educationpositively or negatively. High-quality teaching and mentoringcan have a dramatic effect on retention. The two primary rea-sons cited by students as to why they switch from engineeringto another major are poor teaching and inadequate advising. Athird reason cited by the students is curriculum overload.23

There is a need to strengthen civil engineer-ing teaching.

On the whole, frequent student interaction with faculty haspositive effects on student development, involvement, andretention. However, one study found that greater interac-tion with faculty may not have the same positive effect.24 Inother words, poor attitudes and lack of professionalism byfaculty have a dramatically negative effect on students. Theneed for high-quality and effective faculty to teach the civilengineering BOK is clear.

The BOK2 Committee reconfirmed the following four char-acteristics of the model full- or part-time civil engineeringfaculty member as presented by the BOK1 Committee:

Model full- or part-time faculty should be scholars and effective teachers, have relevant practical experience, and serve as positive role models.

■ Scholars: Those who teach the civil engineering BOKshould be scholars. You should acquire and maintain ahigh level of expertise in subjects that you teach. Being ascholar mandates that engineering faculty be lifelonglearners, modeling continued growth in knowledge andunderstanding. Additionally, being a scholar requires thatyou be engaged in scholarly activities supporting youreducational activities and your professional area(s) ofpractice.

■ Effective Teachers: Student learning is optimal when youand other faculty members effectively engage students inthe learning process. The development of engineeringfaculty as effective teachers is critical for the future of theprofession. Faculty should be expected to gain pedagogi-cal training through internal programs within their homeinstitution or external programs offered through variousprofessional organizations. An excellent example isASCE’s Excellence in Civil Engineering Education(ExCEEd) program.

■ Have Relevant Practical Experience: Engineering is aprofession of practice, so the education process must inte-grate this experiential component to be successful. Youshould have an appropriate level of relevant practicalexperience in the engineering subjects that you teach.Faculty have difficulty being passionate about the subjectsthey teach or fully communicating the relevance of thetopic to students without appropriate experience.


■ Positive Role Models: Regardless of personal desires orchoice, every civil engineer who is in contact with stu-dents serves as a role model for the profession. Youshould be aware that students are viewing you in thatlight. The ideal civil engineering faculty member shouldpresent a positive role model for the profession. Studentsshould be able to both relate to and follow these rolemodels and be put on a path toward becoming successfulengineers in their own right.

Be a Scholar

This use of the term “scholar” goes far beyond the traditional,restrictive view of scholarship as basic or applied research.Instead, the committee adopted the more inclusive view ofscholarship espoused by Ernest L. Boyer in his seminal work,Scholarship Reconsidered: Priorities of the Professoriate.25

This use of the term “scholar” goes far beyond the traditional, restrictive view of scholarship as basic research.

Boyer recognized that knowledge can be acquired throughresearch, synthesis, practice, and teaching. He defined thefour corresponding functions of scholars as the scholarshipof teaching, the scholarship of discovery, the scholarship ofintegration, and the scholarship of application. Scholars aretrue lifelong learners, continually acquiring knowledge. Thefour forms of scholarship are explained as follows:

■ The Scholarship of Teaching comprises developing exam-ples, analogies, and images that form the bridge betweenthe teacher’s understanding and the student’s learning. Itclearly satisfies the expectation of expertise in faculty, as itrequires that faculty also be learners, always extendingtheir own knowledge and understanding.

■ The Scholarship of Discovery is the familiar, disciplined,investigative research. It enhances the meaning of theacademy itself, discovering basic knowledge and continu-ing the intellectual climate of the university.

■ The Scholarship of Integration makes connections withinand between disciplines. As the master integrators of theinfrastructure, civil engineers are rightly very interestedin the synthesis of such multidisciplinary work.

■ The Scholarship of Application is the professional activityof applying new knowledge to consequential problems.The civil engineer has clear ties to this scholarship, seekingto solve the challenges and problems of our infrastructure.

To further define scholarly work, consider its standards.Glassick26 defines those standards as clear goals, adequate


preparation, appropriate methods, significant results, andreflective critique.

By pursuing a mix of the four types of scholarship to achievepersonal and institutional missions and goals, faculty andinstitutions—clear in their distinctive mission—will providea more diverse graduate to the profession and will add to therichness of the education of the civil engineering profession.As stated by Boyer,25 who advocated diversity with dignity:

Broadening scholarship has implications not only forindividuals but for institutions, too. Today’s higher edu-cation leaders speak with pride about the distinctivemissions of their campuses. But such talk often masks apattern of conformity. Too many campuses are inclinedto seek status by imitating what they perceive to bemore prestigious institutions. We are persuaded that ifscholarship is to be enriched, every college and univer-sity must clarify its own goals and seek to relate its ownunique purposes more directly to the reward system forprofessors.

Teach Effectively

Appropriate teaching edu-cation and training are critical to enhancing the effectiveness of faculty in creating excitement for learning by students.

Numerous studies indicate that student learning is enhancedwhen engineering faculty are effective and enthusiasticteachers. Under the current system of studies, civil engineersdo not typically become effective teachers simply byadvanced study leading to a Ph.D. Furthermore, civil engi-neers do not typically become effective teachers via experi-ence obtained through practicing civil engineering.Appropriate teaching pedagogy and education training arecritical to enhancing the effectiveness of faculty in creatingexcitement for learning by students.

The teacher who demon-strates interpersonal rap-port with students will show interest in students as individuals, interest in students’ learning, and openness to students’ preferences about class-room procedures, policies, and assignments.

Effective teaching is a challenging task, requiring expertisein the topic to be taught; effective two-way communicationwith students; an ability to promote clear, complex, andcomplete understanding; an awareness of learning styles;and an ability to relate to students in ways both positive andinspirational. You, as the teacher, must motivate students byactive involvement in the individual student’s personallearning process. Student learning is enhanced when theteacher is highly effective.


The effective teacher’s skill comes from creating intel-lectual excitement in and interpersonal rapport with the students in a variety of classroom settings.

In his book Mastering the Techniques of Teaching,27 JosephLowman provides a two-dimensional model of effective col-lege teaching. This model is shown in matrix form inTable 4. Lowman notes that the effective teacher’s skillcomes from creating intellectual excitement in and interper-sonal rapport with the students in a variety of classroom set-tings. Although outstanding abilities in either dimensioncan result in adequate teaching for some students and suc-cess in certain kinds of classes, both dimensions are requiredfor excellence in teaching. Faculty willing to learn anddevelop can improve in either or both dimensions.

A teacher’s ability to create intellectual excitement (asshown by the rows of Table 4) has two components: clarityof presentation and stimulating emotional impact in thestudent. Lowman notes clarity deals with what the teacherpresents. Stimulating emotional impact stems from the wayit is presented.

Intellectual excitement is apparent from a teacher’s technicalexpertise, organization, clarity of communication, engagingpresentation, and enthusiasm. Descriptors associated withteachers who are skilled at developing intellectual excite-ment include knowledgeable, organized, interesting, humor-ous, clear, inspiring, and enthusiastic.

The teacher who demon-strates interpersonal rap-port with students will show interest in students as individuals, interest in students’ learning, and openness to students’ preferences about class-room procedures, policies, and assignments.

The development of interpersonal rapport (as shown by thecolumns of Table 4) stems from the teacher’s ability to effec-tively communicate with students in ways that increase theirmotivation, enjoyment, and independent learning. Theteacher who demonstrates interpersonal rapport with stu-dents will show interest in students as individuals, interest instudents’ learning, and openness to students’ preferencesabout classroom procedures, policies, and assignments.Terms used to describe teachers who demonstrate interper-sonal rapport include concerned, encouraging, caring, help-ful, challenging, available, and approachable.

Table 4. Lowman’s two-dimensional model of effective college teaching is based on interpersonal rapport and intellectual excitement.

Intellectual Excitement

Interpersonal Rapport

Low Moderate High

High6. Intellectual

authority8. Exemplary

lecturer9. Complete

exemplary

Moderate 3. Adequate 5. Competent7. Exemplary

facilitator

Low 1. Inadequate 2. Marginal 4. Socratic


Lowman27 suggests that you, as a teacher who desires toimprove, should focus on intellectual excitement first, theninterpersonal rapport. He says, “Unless traditional teachingskills are mastered first, structural inventions are unlikely tolead to exemplary instruction or optimal student learning.”As evident in Table 4, development of intellectual excite-ment achieves higher levels of effectiveness for single stepchange.

Prospective engineering faculty members should actively prepare, by means of education and training courses, to be effective teachers—preferably before they teach civil engineering students.

Skills required to be an effective teacher can be learned. Thecommittee recommends that all prospective engineeringfaculty members actively prepare to be effective teachers bymeans of pedagogical education and training courses asearly in their career as possible and preferably before theyteach civil engineering students. Many university campusesoffer teaching programs. Some are within the engineeringcollege while others are housed elsewhere, such as in theeducation school. ASCE’s ExCEEd Teaching Workshop(ETW) provides a proven model for how to teach faculty toteach.28-34 In this workshop, a detailed structure for successin the classroom is provided for civil engineering faculty.

Gain Relevant Practical Experience

Boyer25 states, “…teaching begins with what the teacherknows. Those who teach must, above all, be well informedand steeped in the knowledge of their fields.” To have a solidmastery of their field, the BOK2 Committee maintains thatcivil engineering faculty should have relevant practical expe-rience in the subjects they teach. A good guide of minimumrelevant practical experience required is you must be able toboth perform the engineering being taught as well as cri-tique and judge the relative merits of alternative solutions inthe context of project-specific constraints. Another guide isthat each individual faculty member need not have experi-ence in all or even multiple areas of civil engineering prac-tice, but the department’s faculty considered as a teamshould collectively possess sufficient practical experiencerelevant to those areas taught in that department.

Relevant practical experi-ence can be gained in many ways, such as con-sulting and research.

Relevant practical experience may be gained as an employedengineer for a consulting firm, industry, or governmentagency.

Alternatively, relevant practical experience may be gained, orsupplemented, through consulting on engineering projectswhile serving as faculty members. Relevant practical experi-ence can sometimes be gained through a faculty member’s


research and outreach activities, depending on the specifics ofthese efforts. In performing research, working with practice-oriented agencies—for example, state and federal depart-ments of transportation, industry associations, or individualcompanies—to develop new methods or technologies andworking to advance the new methods or technologies intopractice may constitute relevant practical experience.

Faculty members with rel-evant practical experience will be better prepared to mentor students as they prepare to enter the engi-neering workforce.

The benefits of relevant practical experience should includeknowledge of the day-to-day operations of engineering proj-ects, including many of the business aspects not alwaysincluded in traditional civil engineering curricula but nowbeing recommended as part of the BOK. Also, you and otherfaculty members with relevant practical experience will bebetter prepared to mentor students as they prepare to con-tinue their education at the graduate level and/or enter theengineering workforce.

While the majority of fac-ulty will be full-time engi-neering educators, some should be part-time, leading-edge practitioners.

Students who aspire to practice civil engineering at the pro-fessional level will benefit from a heterogeneous group offaculty, ranging from some who are fully engaged in aca-demia to others who are fully engaged in the traditionalpractice of civil engineering. While the majority of facultywill be full-time engineering educators, some should bepart-time, leading-edge practitioners.

Potential practitioner participants should meet the same cri-teria as the full-time faculty as described in this sec-tion—namely, scholarship, teaching effectiveness, andpositive role modeling. Practitioner faculty might teachentire courses or co-teach with full-time faculty.

Serve as a Positive Role Model

For many students, the first civil engineer they meet is a civilengineering faculty member. Beyond that, every civil engi-neering teacher continues to serve as a role model for theprofession throughout the student’s academic career. Thoselearning the BOK will look to you and other civil engineer-ing faculty for appropriate knowledge, skills, and attitudesdesired of civil engineers.

Students will hold each civil engineering faculty member as an example to emulate or as an example to reject.

Whether or not a faculty member desires to be a role modelfor the engineering profession is irrelevant. In every casestudents will hold each civil engineering faculty member asan example to emulate or as an example to reject. The idealcivil engineering faculty member will be a positive rolemodel for the profession.


Faculty are encouraged to obtain professional licen-sure, partly to emphasize its importance to students.

Civil engineering faculty should personally strive for and beencouraged to gain relevant experience to supplement theiracademic knowledge and increase their effectiveness in theclassroom. Furthermore, when appropriate, civil engineer-ing faculty should obtain professional licensure. For thosefaculty members who teach civil engineering design courses,relevant design experience in the topics they teach is neces-sary and professional licensure holds particular relevance.Others are encouraged to obtain licensure to emphasize itsimportance to students.

Faculty who are lifelong learners will infuse the continuedthirst for new solutions to the challenges within the profes-sion. Effective teachers will stimulate the curiosity of their stu-dents and will exemplify the knowledge, skills, attitudes, andbehaviors that best reflect the civil engineering profession.

Balance Teaching with Other Responsibilities

Faculty will need to bal-ance teaching, research, and service in accordance with the expectations of their specific institutions.

Tomorrow, as is true today, faculty will be expected to domuch more than be effective teachers as described in thissection. Depending on the specific mission of their aca-demic institution, faculty members will be expected to pro-vide a quality educational experience for their students andcontribute to other departmental or institutional goals. Inmost universities, research and service complete a tripartitemission. Faculty must work with their department chair tounderstand the specific expectations that are unique to theirprogram.

While there are no set paths or criteria for successful civilengineering faculty, being part of a program with a missionthat is compatible with one’s own professional interests andgoals is the key. Faculty members—especially newones—should seek programs such that their own profes-sional interests and aspirations are supportive of the pro-gram’s mission. Beyond this, you and your faculty colleaguesshould share a common sense of commitment to the civilengineering students you teach, including a commitment tothe attributes presented in this section.

The service component of a faculty member’s responsibilitywill include service to the civil engineering profession, bothon campus (for example, mentoring and supporting studentchapter activities of engineering organizations) and also offcampus (for example, by volunteering services in professionalsocieties), where the skills and experience of a faculty memberhelp shape the preparation of the civil engineer of the future.


Summary

Model civil engineering faculty are scholars and effectiveteachers with an appropriate level of relevant practical expe-rience and are positive role models for the profession. Theseare desirable traits for those who will motivate and guide21st-century civil engineers.

Guidance for Students

Understand the Vision

The 2025 civil engineering vision coupled with the BOK will guide students.

Review the vision for civil engineering in 2025 as describedin Chapter 1 of this report. The civil engineering professionknows where it is going and invites you to join the journey.You can help achieve the vision by fulfilling the BOK andentering the practice of civil engineering at the professionallevel. The vision, coupled with the BOK outcomes and levelsof achievement, should provide you with a frameworkwithin which you can understand the purpose and measurethe progress of your education, prepare to move into yourinternship, and, ultimately enter the practice of civil engi-neering at the professional level.

Utilize Campus Resources

As a civil engineering student, you will be faced with chal-lenges in and outside of the classroom. For example, youmay fail an examination, receive a low grade in a course,have difficulty understanding certain fundamentals, orencounter problems financing your education. Fortunately,you are likely to be surrounded by many and variedresources typically available on campuses. Personal exam-ples are friends, professors, advisors, and counselors. Yourcampus is likely to have programs, centers, and offices thatcan assist you with time management, writing, studying,tutoring, computing, financial aid, part-time work, andsummer and permanent employment. Draw on selectedresources, depending on your needs, so that you continue tomove forward in your formal education.


Actively Participate in Campus Organizations

Be actively, as opposed to passively, involved in at least one campus organization.

You can move toward fulfillment of outcome 16 (commun-ication), outcome 20 (leadership), and outcome 21 (team-work) by active, as apposed to passive, participation in oneor more campus organizations. You could choose from thestudent chapters of such engineering organizations as ASCE,NSPE, the Society of Women Engineers, the Society of His-panic Professional Engineers, and the National Society ofBlack Engineers. However, you can also learn about com-munication, leadership, and teamwork by being activelyinvolved in such campus-wide activities and groups as stu-dent government, service clubs, sports teams, a studentnewspaper, and sororities and fraternities. Consider youractive participation in such groups as these as an opportu-nity to serve while enhancing your knowledge, skills, andattitudes.

Explore International Programs

Students should, at mini-mum, explore participat-ing in an international study program.

The explanation for outcome 19 (globalization), offers youthis advice: “Engineers will need to deal with ever-increasingglobalization; and find ways to prosper within an integratedinternational environment; and meet challenges that crosscultural, language, legal, and political boundaries.…” Giventhe impact of globalization on engineering, you should atleast explore participating in an international study program.

Many are available and they both literally and figurativelycover the globe. These programs typically involve a semesteror so of study at a university in another country along withsuch other learning opportunities as summer travel and/orwork. While participation in an international program mayextend the length of your formal education, that is likely tobe a small cost relative to the added benefits.

Seek Relevant Work Experiences

You can apply and augment your classroom and laboratorylearning during your formal education by finding relevantwork experience. Applying what you have learned deepensyour understanding of the material and demonstrates therelevance of your ongoing formal education. Compensationfor this work can also help to finance your education. Workoptions include part-time employment with a local engi-neering organization, summer employment, internships,and cooperative education.


Protect Your Reputation

You are now beginning to create a reputation, good or bad, that will follow you throughout your career.

Craftsmen are judged primarily by the objects they create.Engineers, in contrast, are judged primarily by the credibil-ity of their advice. Most of the clients and others you willeventually serve will not be able to fully judge the technicaland other advice you offer. However, they will be aware ofand be able to judge your reputation and use that to valueand trust—or devalue and mistrust—you.

You may think that this scenario is years away for you—thatit is not relevant now while you are in school. However, yourreputation as a professional is beginning now, while you area student. Years from now, individuals who are now stu-dents, faculty, and staff will recall what you said and did.Cherish, protect, and enhance your reputation by what yousay and do. Tell the truth. Keep your word. Be careful whatyou write in e-mails, memoranda, letters, and reports. Givecredit when using ideas, data, and information developed byothers. Stated differently, recognize the necessity of fulfillingoutcome 24 (professional and ethical responsibility).

Prepare Yourself for an Ever-Changing World

Ancient Romans achieved an astonishing level of civil engi-neering excellence. Their works included extensive andcomplex viaduct and bridge structures. An example is thePont du Gard in southern France, a towering structure com-posed of three tiers of arches that still stands 2,000 yearsafter it was designed and constructed.

The civil engineering profession has come a long way sincethen. You are learning about an array of sophisticated toolsand complex materials, including computer-aided draftingand design (CADD), digital models, sustainable design, ana-lytical testing apparatuses, and composites. Just as today’spractice is much different from yesterday’s, so will tomor-row’s practice—your practice—be much different fromtoday’s. The BOK, built on 4 foundational outcomes andhaving a broad and deep superstructure of 11 technical and9 professional outcomes, will help you adjust to inevitablechanges and prepare you to lead some of them. Further-more, various books and other materials35 are available tohelp you successfully complete your studies and proactivelymove into employment.


Find the Right First Job

Choose your employer carefully—especially your first employer.

As your formal education draws to a close—whether it resultsin earning a bachelor’s, master’s, or other degree—you willnaturally be thinking about employment. You are likely toconsider many and varied factors in selecting an employer.Examples are compensation, benefits, location, computerresources, the functions you will perform, and the kinds ofprojects on which you will work. Choose wisely among thepositions that will be available to you in the public and pri-vate sectors. In addition to, and perhaps more important thanthe preceding factors, are the following questions:

■ Who will be your immediate supervisor? This is impor-tant because, early in your career, frequent interactionwith him or her in a variety of settings will further influ-ence your attitude toward the profession and the addi-tional knowledge and skills you acquire. In a similarfashion, who will you work with? Choose your employercarefully.

■ Does the organization have a positive culture—that is,does it value high expectations and provide support, part-ner with its personnel in their personal and professionaldevelopment, insist on ethical behavior, and seek to be aleader among its peers?

■ Is the potential employer aware of the BOK and yourdesire to complete its fulfillment so that you sit for thelicensing examination? While you have the primaryresponsibility for fulfilling the BOK, you will benefit froma knowledgeable and supportive employer.

Best wishes as you enter this next critical and exciting phaseof your career.

Guidance for Engineer Interns

Self-Direct Your Life

Prior to completion of formal education, your life has beenlargely directed by others—for example, parents, teachers,and coaches. They often told you what to do, how to do it,when to do it, and sometimes why to do it.

Assume primary responsi-bility for your personal and professional development.

Upon completion of education and entry into prelicensurepractice, the situation changes—sometimes dramatically.The engineer intern moves from being directed primarily byothers to being primarily self-directed. Assuming you fully


embrace this transition to self-direction, including seeing itas part of the process of fulfilling the BOK, the “world isyour oyster.” The advice offered in this intern sectionassumes you are proactively becoming even more self-directed in your work life and beyond. More specifically, youare assuming primary responsibility for your personal andprofessional development while seeking support from youremployer and others. The ultimate exercise in self-directionis to set goals and create plans by which to achieve them,which is the last topic in this intern section.

Continue Your Education

Your education has just begun.

This advice ties directly to outcome 23 (lifelong learning). Inaddition, it builds on or advances essentially all of the otheroutcomes. If you temporarily ended your formal educationwith a baccalaureate degree, immediately prepare plans forearning a master’s degree or approximately 30 semestercredits of acceptable graduate-level or upper-level under-graduate courses. Earning the M/30 is an essential step infulfilling the BOK. Regardless of your M/30 status, seek par-ticipation in continuing education. This can be an effectivemeans of maintaining and advancing your knowledge andskills in very specific technical and nontechnical areas. Bewilling and able to invest some of your time and money informal and continuing education.

Civil engineers are fundamentally applied scientists. Oneindication of this is the inclusion in the BOK of foundationaloutcomes 1 and 2 (mathematics and natural sciences).Employers, clients, and stakeholders expect you to keep cur-rent so that they can benefit from the latest scientific discov-eries and technological developments. In a recent report, theNAE5 noted that the half-life of current engineering educa-tion is between two and four years.

Seek breadth and depth of experiential and other learning.

While you are likely to focus initially on scientific and tech-nical topics, recognize that engineering encompasses non-technical areas. Analysis and design are necessary, butengineering goes far beyond. Accordingly, seek both depthand breadth of experiential and other learning.

Read widely and eclectically, including articles, books, newspa-pers, and other publications that address a range of top-ics—technical, historical, economic, social, and contemporary.Consider the goal of reading a book a month. Subscribe tohelpful e-newsletters. Another means of continuing your edu-cation lies right in front of you. Seize every opportunity for


experiential learning in your day-to-day work as an intern.Seek a variety of assignments and increased responsibility.

Search for the most accomplished and respected individualsin your organization and strive to work for or with them. Ifyour employer provides a formal mentoring program, con-sider participating first as a protégé and possibly later as amentor. In the absence of a formal program, you may be ableto informally find and benefit from a coach or mentor. Mas-ter the appropriate “knowns,” especially those needed tocontribute to your employer, while also trying to prepareyourself for the “unknowns.”

Move Further Toward Licensure

Recall that the BOK is defined in ASCE PS 465 as “the nec-essary depth and breadth of knowledge, skills, and attitudesrequired of an individual entering the practice of civil engi-neering at the professional level in the 21st century.” PS 465goes on to explain that “entering the practice of civil engi-neering at the professional level” means licensure as a pro-fessional engineer (P.E.). Achieving licensure is one of thereasons to continue your education as advocated in the pre-vious section.

Assuming full implementation of PS 465, you would need todemonstrate fulfillment of 24 outcomes to sit for the P.E.examination. As illustrated in Figure 3, while the foundationfor all 24 outcomes was laid while you earned your bache-lor’s degree, and while three outcomes were or will be fur-ther fulfilled by earning your master’s degree orapproximately 30 credits, almost two thirds of the outcomesare to be further fulfilled during prelicensure experience.That’s where you are right now.

Proactively move toward licensure. Be wary of argu-ments against licensure.

Some words of caution: Be wary of arguments—sometimesvery self-serving—against licensure. Someone may say thatyou are working in an employment sector that is under theindustrial exemption and therefore that you do not need alicense. Will you always want to work in that sector? Otherswill oppose licensure because it results in having to payhigher compensation to licensed engineers. While they willnot make that argument directly to you, if you are employedin their organization and are not licensed, you are likely toincur a penalty in compensation and opportunities.

Others will say that licensure is merely a shallow “prestige”credential and that your employment with them—and per-haps even others—is secure as long as you maintain your


technical competence. After all, that’s what really counts. Butwhat if, someday, you want to start your own business—per-haps first as an individual proprietor and then later as theleader of a small and growing engineering firm? Can youexercise that option without a P.E.? Even if you never startyour own firm, but choose instead to spend your profes-sional career as an employee of an engineering organization,state laws require that the engineer in responsible charge ofengineering work be licensed. Are you willing to relinquishthis opportunity? That is very unlikely, so keep your optionsopen by proactively seeking licensure.

Develop Horizontal Thinking

Historically, engineering has tended to produce verticalthinkers. Picture engineering knowledge as a silo. Engineersare highly educated, trained, and skilled at knowing every-thing within their particular silo. Typically, the focus hasbeen on the depth of a silo at the expense of knowledge out-side the silo. Engineers have often had trouble embracinghorizontal or lateral knowledge and thinking—that is, work-ing effectively beyond the limits of their silo.

Practice horizontal think-ing so that you are con-nected to ideas and information not part of, but potentially related to, civil engineering.

Many of the outcomes outlined in the BOK will requireengineers to function horizontally—they will be stretchedbeyond the comfort of their silos. Fulfilling such outcomesas 3 (humanities), 4 (social sciences), 8 (problem recogni-tion and solving), 10 (sustainability), 11 (contemporaryissues and historical perspectives), 12 (risk and uncertainty),16 (communication), 17 (public policy), 19 (globalization),21 (teamwork), and 22 (attitudes) will enable you to furtherdevelop horizontal thinking.

Horizontal or lateral thinking connects you with ideas andinformation not a part of but potentially related to civil engi-neering. As a result, you will be better prepared—as part ofintradisciplinary and multidisciplinary teams—to help iden-tify and solve the complex problems of the future. Therequired innovation and creativity result, in part, from mak-ing personal and other connections along horizontal paths.

Volunteer in Community and Professional Organizations

Volunteer to serve the pro-fession and your community.

Civil engineering has a long and proud tradition of servingthe public, as compensated professionals and as volunteers.By volunteering, engineer interns give of themselves and addvalue to their communities, as well as to professional societ-


ies. By giving of yourself you will further fulfill such out-comes as 16 (communication), 17 (public policy), 20(leadership), 21 (teamwork), and 24 (professional and ethi-cal responsibility).

Most communities have planning and zoning commissions,park and recreation boards, capital improvement commit-tees, and similar entities. Positions in these groups are typi-cally appointed by the city council or other elected officials.Groups like these will benefit from your technical and othercontributions. You, as a young engineer, will have the oppor-tunity to interact with a key segment of society—the non-technical public—and become even more familiar with theirconcerns and more adept at communicating with the public.You are urged to proactively seek to serve as a volun-teer—both you and the group you join will benefit.

Similarly, professional societies typically relevant to civilengineering—APWA, ASCE, ASEE, and NSPE, for exam-ple—rely heavily on volunteers. Consider offering to assistby speaking on behalf of a professional society at a localschool, assisting a program committee, and offering to dowhatever may be needed.

Reflect, Plan, and Act

You, as an engineer intern, are likely to be very busy, fullyengaged with work and your personal life. You will be doinguseful work and finding satisfaction. As good as this maysound, there are dangers. You may be gaining experience,but perhaps too much of certain kinds. For example, ratherthan having four years of experience you could have oneyear of experience four times. Experience is wonderful, buttoo much of one kind of experience could diminish yourrate of personal and professional development. Or you maybe so focused on the tasks at hand that you fail to see theavailable range of professional opportunities and options.Accordingly, excessive focus on current tasks could lead tolater regrets. Author and lecturer Og Mandino36 observesthat “… experience teaches thoroughly yet her course ofinstruction devours [our] years so that the value of her les-sons diminishes with the time necessary to acquire her spe-cial wisdom.”


Take time to reflect on your personal and profes-sional progress, set goals, create plans to achieve them, and then act.

Therefore, take time as you move well into your internshipto reflect on what you have experienced so far—your suc-cesses and your failures—and what, in the spirit of outcome23 (lifelong learning) you have learned. Complement thisretrospective exercise with a prospective effort—that is,develop a plan. This means setting goals for personal andprofessional development and identifying action items thatwill enable you to achieve those goals. Certainly include theremainder of your intern period in this goal-setting process.But also look beyond it, at least in a general way. For exam-ple, what do you want to accomplish by the age of 30, 40, andso on?

Then act on your action items. This should include selec-tively sharing goals with your supervisor, colleagues, friends,family, and others. You are likely to be pleasantly surprisedto find that diverse individuals who care about you willassist you on achieving your goals.

Guidance for Practitioners

Review the Body of Knowledge

Faculty members, students, and engineer interns will natu-rally be familiar with the BOK because of their active partici-pation in it. In contrast, at least initially, leaders andmanagers of private and public engineering organizationsand practitioners in those organizations are less likely to havehad direct contact with the BOK. Accordingly, you may wantto review the BOK as described in this report. More specifi-cally, consider studying Figure 3 and Appendix I and Appen-dix J, which collectively present the BOK rubric and anexplanation of it. The rubric is the “heart” of the BOK—it isthe “road map” used first by the student and now the internto enter the practice of civil engineering at the professionallevel. Likewise, the rubric is a definitive statement of tomor-row’s foundation of professional competence.

Practitioners can assist the engineer intern in continu-ing the learning process while simultaneously ben-efiting the employer.

As a practitioner, you can appreciate the importance of theyoung professional’s early experience as an engineer internin completing fulfillment of the BOK required for entry intothe practice of civil engineering at the professionallevel—that is, licensure. You should also understand that,while attending to your various responsibilities, you can alsohelp the intern continue his or her learning process in prep-aration for the licensing examination. BOK outcomes andthe levels of achievement that must be fulfilled are broad and


deep. You; the engineer interns you supervise, coach, ormentor; and your organization will benefit from that fulfill-ment process.

Provide a Professional Development Program

An employer-sponsored professional development program can assist engi-neer interns while strengthening the organization.

The BOK2 Committee believes that a carefully crafted andperiodically monitored professional development programcan benefit both the organization—private or public—andthe individual. Such a program can assist the engineer internin completing fulfillment of the BOK. While BOK fulfill-ment is ultimately each engineer intern’s responsibility, theavailability of learning opportunities within the organizationencourages and supports individual efforts. From an organi-zational perspective, a professional development programcan enhance the collective knowledge, skills, and attitudes ofthe organization and, as a result, enhance its effectiveness.

An organizational professional development program couldinclude various combinations of the following means ofteaching and learning:

■ Internal and external seminars, workshops, and conferences;

■ Mentoring, tutoring, and coaching;

■ Experiential learning resulting from planned participa-tion in a variety of office and field functions;

■ Active participation in professional and business societies;and

■ Periodic reviews of individual goals and plans for andprogress toward achieving those goals.

Of course the professional development program in yourorganization will be tailored to the immediate and long-term needs of your organization. It will be planned andimplemented in recognition of profitability expectations inthe private sector and budget constraints in the public sec-tor. Hopefully, such a program will be viewed by you andothers as an investment instead of a cost. And, as is the casewith prudent investing, the professional development pro-gram will be monitored for organizational and individualeffectiveness and continuously improved.

The effectiveness of your organization’s professional devel-opment program is likely to be enhanced if it involves a part-nership between individuals and the organization. Eachparty should invest. For example, if the organization offers afour-hour in-house workshop, it might be scheduled near


the end of the work day. Two hours would be on “companytime” and two hours on personal time. The suggested part-nership approach offers two benefits. First, it reduces theimpact of lost productive time. Second, it provides anopportunity for individuals to demonstrate their commit-ment to professional development by investing some of theirtime.

Encourage and Support Experiential Learning

Encourage the engineer intern to benefit from experiential learning by seeking a variety of assignments.

The best way for the intern to learn about what the organiza-tion does and how it does it is to do it. Urge the engineerintern to seek a variety of assignments within the organiza-tion, within and beyond the context of formal projects. Dur-ing their four-year internships, the interns could, with yourencouragement and support, participate in a variety of proj-ect functions. Examples are assisting with proposals, fieldwork, statistical analysis, formulating alternatives, estimat-ing costs, seeking permits, writing reports, and makingpresentations.

Such experiential learning offers valuable lessons to theengaged intern. The so-called “secrets of success” are exposedwhen things work out well and approaches to avoid are evi-dent when outcomes are less than desirable. Active and pro-gressive involvement in projects, as well as in non-projectactivities, also helps to bond the intern to your organization.

The BOK explicitly requires experiential learning within 15specific outcomes, as indicated by the outcomes in Figure 3that include one or more E cells. The BOK requires practicalexperience to provide the context for these specific aspects ofcognitive development. Experiential learning should beviewed as an extension of the cognitive development begun inuniversities. The 15 outcomes require your engagement withthe engineer intern and the support of your organization.

Public and private sector engineering organizations areencouraged to engage in a broad approach to experientiallearning by encouraging the temporary transfer of profession-als in two directions. Practitioners can serve as adjunct uni-versity faculty and regular faculty can use sabbaticals andsummer leave to work in engineering organizations. This two-way transfer will help to infuse the BOK across the profession.


Stress Client and Stakeholder Focus

Help the engineer intern understand the impor-tance of learning client and stakeholder technical and nontechnical wants and needs.

You know that many clients, as well as other users of engi-neering services, believe that they can easily find an engi-neer to solve a technical problem. Although the technicalcomponent is critical, advise the engineer intern that theseclients and stakeholders want more than technical solutions.They seek engineers who can understand and identify withtheir environment and its unique set of issues, problems,opportunities, and constraints. If engineers, or more specifi-cally, the intern’s organization—whether it be an engineeringfirm or a public entity—does not fill these broad and deepwants and needs, other organizations will. Accordingly, urgeengineer interns to further develop knowledge, skills, andattitudes found in such outcomes as outcome 8 (problemrecognition and solving), outcome 11 (contemporary issuesand historical perspectives), outcome 16 (communica-tion—which, incidentally, includes asking questions tounderstand wants and needs), outcome 20 (leadership), andoutcome 22 (attitudes).

Some clients and stakeholders, in their frustration with deal-ing with complex issues, take a position when initially inter-acting with engineers and other service providers that canbe characterized by this statement: “I don’t care how muchyou know until I know how much you care.” You can urgethe intern to help with the caring process, which includesdoing the necessary “homework” about the client or stake-holder and asking many, wide-ranging questions. A problemwell defined is half solved.

Support Licensure

You are aware of evolving licensure requirements and therationale behind them. Share this information with engineerinterns. Explain how licensure benefits the individual, theorganization, and the public. Remind the intern that licen-sure is one of the reasons for completing fulfillment of theBOK.


Encourage Active Professional Society and Community Involvement

Help the engineer intern see the personal and other benefits of active involve-ment in professional soci-eties and local communities.

Advise the engineer intern to immediately become actively,as opposed to passively, involved in at least one professionalsociety such as ASCE. This is an effective way to continueone’s personal and professional development in areasencompassed by outcome 16 (communication), outcome 20(leadership), outcome 21 (teamwork), outcome 22 (atti-tudes), and outcome 23 (lifelong learning). You couldexplain to the intern that active professional society involve-ment supports the earlier advice of stressing client andstakeholder focus by providing a truer perspective of the realissues, challenges, and opportunities.

Furthermore, many civil engineers, including the engineerintern, derive a satisfying and prosperous living from theirprofession and, accordingly, should give something back toit. Explain that practicing engineers use the work of manypredecessor professionals, most of whom produced thebooks, papers, conference proceedings, manuals of practice,computer software, and other valuable contributions for lit-tle or no monetary compensation.

Urge the engineer intern to also consider active participa-tion in community organizations. Suggest that volunteerefforts enable many neighborhood, religious, and commu-nity-wide organizations to carry out useful functions. Giventhe progress that the intern has made toward fulfilling thebroad and deep BOK, he or she is in an excellent position tobegin to contribute to community activities. Examples areparticipating in an American Cancer Society fund-raiser,serving on an appointed community committee or board,assisting with the fund drives of a religious organization,coaching Special Olympics athletes, and running for electiveoffice. Besides the value of the service that is provided, bene-fits to the intern are similar to those already noted for activeparticipation in professional societies.

Exemplify Professional Behavior

Exemplify the personal and professional behavior that you extol.

Most engineer interns will listen respectfully to adviceoffered by experienced practitioners. However, some internsmay be skeptical as they look beyond your words. Youreffectiveness as a coach or mentor will be enhanced if youserve as a positive role model and exemplify the personaland professional behavior that you extol. You can, by youractions, show the engineer intern the value of continued


professional development, experiential learning, client andstakeholder focus, licensure, and active involvement in pro-fessional societies and community groups.

Summary

Gradual implementation of the civil engineering BOKrequires active participation by faculty members, students,engineer interns, and practitioners. Accordingly, this chap-ter offers guidance to members of each of the four groups inthe hope that interested individuals will find insight andadvice applicable to their particular situation.


CHAPTER 5

The Next Steps

Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.

Anonymous

The BOK2 Committee has carried out its charge by refining the original BOK, incorporating Bloom’s Taxonomy, addressing the roles of education and experience, and offering BOK-related guidance to stakeholders.

With the completion of this, the second edition of Civil Engi-neering Body of Knowledge for the 21st Century: Preparing theCivil Engineer for the Future, the BOK2 Committee, whichbegan its work in October 2005, has essentially completed itscharge by publishing this report, which:

■ Refines the original BOK to provide a clearer more usabledescription of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes neededto enter the practice of civil engineering at the profes-sional level in the 21st century;

■ Uses Bloom’s Taxonomy, with its emphasis on actionverbs, to describe levels of achievement for outcomeswith the result being the BOK Outcome Rubric (Appen-dix I), and the non-prescriptive explanations for out-comes (Appendix J), which are the heart of this report,

■ Addresses the role of the bachelor’s degree, the master’sdegree or approximately 30 credits, and prelicensureexperience in fulfilling the BOK and outlines the ways inwhich such fulfillment can be validated; and

■ Offers guidance to those individuals who will play criticalroles in using the BOK to implement PS 465—namely, fac-ulty members, students, engineer interns, and practitioners.

In keeping with the charge, the process used by the BOK2Committee to provide the preceding was transparent, inclu-sive, and interactive. The committee sought and welcomedquestions and suggestions by corresponding members andother stakeholders. During the two-year course of the com-mittee’s work, individual members spoke and interactedwith various groups.


The first edition of the BOK report, published in January2004, served the civil engineering profession for four years.With its publication in early 2008, the second edition, whichbenefited from and is a substantial improvement over thefirst edition, should serve the profession for many years.Like the first edition, the second edition will stimulate curri-cula review, refinement, and design; encourage accreditationcriteria advances; offer guidance for the education and train-ing programs of private and public organizations thatemploy civil engineers; and support changes in licensurerequirements. This latest edition, like the original, will alsofacilitate BOK and related discussions within engineeringdisciplines and societies within and outside of the U.S.

The BOK2 Committee believes that this report will signifi-cantly assist with further implementation of ASCE’s masterplan for implementing PS 465. The committee asks thatstakeholders use the recommendations of this report as theymove forward in carrying out their responsibilities. Morespecifically, the committee suggests the following for theindicated stakeholders:

Stakeholders in the civil engineering community are asked to study and, to the extent feasible, use this report as they carry out their responsibilities.

ASCE CAP3 Accreditation Committee: Use this reportas the basis of continued review of the Program Criteriafor Civil and Similarly Named Engineering Programs,General Criteria for Masters Level Programs, the ASCEcommentary, and the Frequently Asked Questions docu-ment. Coordinate with ASCE’s representatives on theEAC to promote the EAC’s support for further improve-ment to accreditation criteria.

ASCE CAP3 Licensure Committee: Use this report tocommunicate to NCEES and licensing boards the levels ofachievement recommended to practice civil engineeringat the professional level. This is important in facilitatingadoption of the NCEES Model Law, especially itsincreased education requirements, by each of the 55 U.S.licensing jurisdictions.21

ASCE CAP3 BOK Educational Fulfillment Committee:Use this report to review the BOK and to further fosterthe creation of a community of scholars interested in edu-cational reform and to document how programs couldincorporate the BOK into their curricula.

ASCE CAP3 BOK Experiential Fulfillment Committee:Use this report to prepare guidelines to assist the engineerintern in achieving those outcomes identified for partialfulfillment through on-the-job education and training.


ABET, Inc.: Use this report as a basis for adoptingBloom’s Taxonomy as a common method for stating pro-gram outcomes within the various accreditation criteria.

Departments of Civil and Environmental Engineering:Consider using the civil engineering BOK and levels ofachievement to be fulfilled via formal education whenevaluating and designing bachelor’s and master’s degreeprograms. Civil and environmental engineering depart-ments are also urged to give thought to using the affectivedomain of Bloom’s Taxonomy.

Employers of Civil Engineers: Consider using the civilengineering BOK as one input when creating or revisingprofessional development programs whose participantswill include engineer interns. The BOK—especially theadditional levels of achievement to be fulfilled duringprelicensure experience—can help guide the content andconduct of seminars, workshops, mentoring, tutoring,coaching, experiential learning, and periodic personnelreviews. Encourage engineer interns to move towardlicensure and stress the need to fulfill the BOK as a pre-requisite for licensure.

Civil Engineering Students and Interns: Study the BOK,especially the 24 outcomes, and notice the portion to befulfilled through formal education and the portion to befulfilled via prelicensure experience. View the BOK as theroad map by which you can travel toward your destina-tion—entering the practice of civil engineering at the pro-fessional level—and measure your progress.

Other Engineering Disciplines and Organizations: Tothe extent many of us share interest in bodies of knowl-edge and in defining related achievement levels, CAP3

would welcome comments on this report’s findings andrecommendations. Input received will be shared amongthe various groups working to implement ASCE PS 465.


Acknowledgments

If you want to go fast, go alone.If you want to go far, go together.

African proverb

The BOK2 Committee built on the work of others. The com-mittee is indebted to individuals, committees, and otherentities, within and outside of ASCE, including the BOK1Committee, all of whom have and/or are contributing to theimplementation of ASCE PS 465 and related reform initia-tives. A special thank you to corresponding members of theBOK2 Committee and other contributors, all of whom arelisted in Appendix E.

The findings and recom-mendations presented in this report build on the efforts of farsighted indi-viduals, committees, and other groups dedicated to reform in the preparation of civil engineers.

Equally important, the BOK2 Committee gratefullyacknowledges the pioneering efforts of those individuals,committees, and other groups who, over the past severaldecades, advocated reform in the education and prelicensureexperience of civil engineers. The breadth, depth, and influ-ence of earlier initiatives is evident in the sources cited invarious reports, such as this one, that have been or are beingprepared as part of the master plan for implementation ofASCE PS 465. The BOK2 Committee believes that the ear-lier work is the root of what is being accomplished todayand, as such, is bearing fruit.


APPENDIX A

Abbreviations

AACU Association of American Colleges and Univer-sities

AAES American Association of Engineering Societies

ABET Formerly Accreditation Board for Engineer-ing and Technology (now simply ABET, Inc.)

AIChE American Institute of Chemical Engineers

AOE Approved Outside Entity

APWA American Public Works Association

ASCE American Society of Civil Engineers

ASEE American Society for Engineering Education

ASME American Society of Mechanical Engineers

B Portion of the BOK fulfilled through the bach-elor’s degree

B+M/30&E Bachelor’s plus master’s, or approximately 30semester credits of acceptable graduate-levelor upper-level undergraduate courses in a spe-cialized technical area and/or professionalpractice area related to civil engineering, andexperience.

B.S. Bachelor of Science

BOK Body of knowledge—that is, “the necessarydepth and breadth of knowledge, skills, andattitudes required of an individual enteringthe practice of civil engineering at the profes-sional level in the 21st Century.”2

BOK1 Body of knowledge as presented in the firstedition of the ASCE BOK report3

BOK2 Body of knowledge as presented in the secondedition of the ASCE BOK report


BOKEdFC BOK Educational Fulfillment Committee

BOKExFC BOK Experiential Fulfillment Committee

BSCE Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering

CADD Computer-aided drafting and design

CAP3 Committee on Academic Prerequisites forProfessional Practice

CDIO Conceive-Design-Implement-Operate

E Portion of the BOK fulfilled through prelicen-sure experience

EAC Engineering Accreditation Commission (ofABET)

EC Engineering Criteria

ELQTF Engineering Licensure Qualifications TaskForce (of NCEES)

ES Executive Summary

ETW ExCEEd Teaching Workshop

ExCEEd Excellence in Civil Engineering Education

FPD First Professional Degree

H&SS Humanities and social sciences

IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engi-neers

IMF International Monetary Fund

J.D. Juris Doctor

KSA Knowledge, skills, and attitudes

LOA Levels of achievement as in reference to theCAP3 Levels of Achievement Subcommitteeand its report9

LQOC Licensure Qualifications Oversight Group (ofNCEES)

M Formal post-baccalaureate education programthat leads to a master’s degree and to fulfill-ment of a portion of the requisite BOK

M.B.A. Master of Business Administration

M.D. Doctor of Medicine

MOE Master’s or equivalent


M/30 Portion of the BOK fulfilled through the mas-ter’s degree or equivalent (approximately 30semester credits of acceptable graduate-levelor upper-level undergraduate courses in a spe-cialized technical area and/or professionalpractice area related to civil engineering)

M.S. Master of science

NAE National Academy of Engineering

NCEES National Council of Examiners for Engineer-ing and Surveying

NSF National Science Foundation

NSPE National Society of Professional Engineers

P.E. Professional Engineer

PS Policy statement

P&S Probability and statistics

SAME Society of American Military Engineers

TCAP3 Task Committee on Academic Prerequisitesfor Professional Practice

TCFPD Task Committee for the First ProfessionalDegree

UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific, andCultural Organization

UP&LG Uniform Policies & Legislative Guidelines (anNCEES committee)

WTO World Trade Organization

30 Approximately 30 semester credits of accept-able graduate-level or upper-level undergrad-uate courses in a specialized technical areaand/or professional practice area related tocivil engineering that does not lead to a formalmaster’s degree but leads to the fulfillment of aportion of the requisite BOK


APPENDIX B

Glossary

Affective domain of learning: “…of, or arising from, affects or feelings;

emotional.”37 (See also the cognitive and psychomotor domains.)

Attitudes: The ways in which one thinks and feels in response to a fact or situation. Attitudes reflect an individual’s values and world view and the way he or she perceives, interprets, and approaches surroundings and situations.

Body of knowledge (BOK): “…thenecessary depth and breadth of knowledge, skills, and attitudes required of an individual entering the practice of civil engineering at the professional level

in the 21st century.”8

Civil engineering: “…the profession in which a knowledge of the mathematical and physical sciences gained by study, experience, and practice is applied with judgment to develop ways to utilize, economically, the materials and forces of nature for the progressive well-being of humanity in creating, improving and protecting the environment, in providing facilities for community living, industry and transportation, and in providing

structures for the use of humanity.”6

Cognitive domain of learning: “…of, or arising from, perception, memory and

judgment.”37 (See also the affective and psychomotor domains of learning.)

Critical thinking: “…the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action. In its exemplary form, it is based on universal intellectual values that transcend subject matter divisions: clarity, accuracy, precision, consistency, relevance, sound evidence, good reasons, depth, breadth, and

fairness.”38 “…skillful, responsible thinking that facilitates good judgment because it: 1) relies upon criteria; 2) is self-correcting;

and 3) is sensitive to context.”39

Discovery learning: “…type of learning whereby learners construct their own knowledge by experimenting with a domain, and inferring rules from the results of these experiments. The basic idea of this kind of learning is that because learners can design their own experiments in the domain and infer the rules of the domain themselves, they are actually constructing their knowledge. Because of these constructive activities, it is assumed they will understand the domain at a higher level than when the necessary information is just presented by a teacher

or an expository learning environment.”40

Emerging technology: A technical area of study and/or application that is based on a new material, test method, or design issue.


An emerging technology typically requires new design approaches, techniques to determine a specific engineering property or properties, or investigation tools. An emerging technology can originate from one or more traditional technologies, a new area of public concern, and/or public desire for improved infrastructure solutions. For example, the field of geosynthetics rapidly emerged from the civil, geotechnical, and environmental engineering technologies to perform a specific function of waste containment, based primarily on the public concern for this environmental issue.

Humanities: Includes disciplines that study the human condition—for example, philosophy, history, literature, the visual arts, the performing arts, language, and religion.

Knowledge: Is largely cognitive and consists of theories, principles, and fundamentals. Examples are geometry, calculus, vectors, momentum, friction, stress and strain, fluid mechanics, energy, continuity, and variability.

Outcome: Statements that describe what individuals are expected to know and be able to do by the time of entry into the practice of civil engineering at the

professional level in the 21st century. Outcomes define the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that individuals acquire through appropriate formal education and prelicensure experience.

Practice of civil engineering at the professional level: “Practice as a licensed

professional engineer.”2

Psychomotor domain of learning: “…of, or arising from, the motor effects of

mental processes.”37 (See also the affective and cognitive domains of learning.)

Rubric: A set of instructions or an explanation; something under which a

thing is classed.14

Skill: The ability to perform tasks. Examples are using a spreadsheet; continuous learning; problem solving; critical, global, integrative/system, and creative thinking; teamwork; communication; and self-assessment.

Social Sciences: Includes disciplines that study the human aspects of the world—for example, economics, political science, sociology, psychology, and anthropology.

Sustainability: The ability to meet human needs for natural resources, industrial products, energy, food, transportation, shelter, and effective waste management while conserving and protecting environmental quality and the natural

resource base essential for the future.41

Sustainable development: “…the challenge of meeting human needs for natural resources, industrial products, energy, food, transportation, shelter, and effective waste management while conserving and protecting environmental quality and the natural resource base

essential for future development.”42,43

Sustainable engineering: Meeting human needs for natural resources, industrial products, energy, food, transportation, shelter, and effective waste management while conserving and protecting environmental quality and the natural resource base essential for future

development.44

Systems analysis: The formulation and exercise of a model to answer a question or address a problem concerning a system.


Team—intradisciplinary: Consists of members from within the civil engineering subdiscipline—for example, a structural engineer working with a geotechnical engineer.

Team—multidisciplinary: Composed of members from different professions—for

example, a civil engineer working with an economist. Multidisciplinary also includes a team consisting of members from different engineering subdisciplines (sometimes referred to as a cross-disciplinary team).


APPENDIX C

ASCE Policy 465: Emergence of the Body of Knowledge

In October 1998, following years of studiesand conferences, the ASCE Board ofDirection adopted Policy Statement 465(PS 465), which began as follows: “TheASCE supports the concept of the master’sdegree as the first professional degree(FPD) for the practice of civil engineeringat the professional level.” Partly as a resultof the October 2001 report45 of the board’sTask Committee for the First ProfessionalDegree (TCFPD), the board adopted arevised PS 465 in 2001 titled “AcademicPrerequisites for Licensure and ProfessionalPractice.” The revised policy said: “ASCEsupports the concept of the master’s degreeor equivalent (MOE) as a prerequisite forlicensure and the practice of civilengineering at the professional level.”

The ASCE board created the TaskCommittee on Academic Prerequisites forProfessional Practice (TCAP3) in October2001 to build on the work of the TCFPD.TCAP3 was charged to “…develop,organize, and execute a detailed plan forfull realization of ASCE PS 465.” With theformation of TCAP3, PS 465 was movingfrom the study phase to theimplementation phase. TCAP3 became theCommittee on Academic Prerequisites forProfessional Practice (CAP3) in 2003.

In response to a CAP3 recommendation,the ASCE board revised PS 465 in October2004 so as to replace the MOE language

with the body of knowledge (BOK).8 Thepolicy now reads, in part:

The ASCE supports the attainmentof a body of knowledge for entry intothe practice of civil engineering at theprofessional level. This would beaccomplished through the adoptionof appropriate engineering educationand experience requirements as aprerequisite for licensure.

ASCE PS 465 was refined by the ASCEboard for a fourth time in April 2007.8

While the changes were relatively minor, thepolicy clearly states that the BOK includes:1) fundamentals of mathematics, science,and engineering science; 2) technicalbreadth; 3) breadth in the humanities andsocial sciences; 4) professional practicebreadth; and 5) technical depth orspecialization. This is consistent with TheVision for Civil Engineering in 20251 and themodel for educational preparation for civilengineering practice (see Figure K-1).

The BOK is defined in the policy as “thenecessary depth and breadth ofknowledge, skills, and attitudes requiredof an individual entering the practice ofcivil engineering at the professional levelin the 21st century.”

The long-term effect of PS 465 isillustrated in Figure C-1, which comparestoday’s civil engineering professional track


with tomorrow’s. Intended changesinclude:

■ an explicit BOK,

■ a redesigned baccalaureate program,

■ a master’s degree or approximately 30semester credits of acceptable graduate-level or upper-level undergraduatecourses in a specialized technical areaand/or professional practice arearelated to civil engineering,

■ a more focused prelicensure experience,

■ a more comprehensive licensure exami-nation, and

■ the option of specialty certification.

From ASCE’s perspective, the BOKrepresents a strategic direction for theprofession. Under today’s accreditationand regulatory processes and procedures,some of the elements of the BOK may notbe translated into curricula, accreditationcriteria, and licensing requirements in thenear term. In other words, the BOKdescribes the “gold standard” for the

aspiring civil engineering professional.Because input into curricula design,accreditation, and licensing comes frommany and varied stakeholders beyondASCE, these processes are not likely toreflect all aspects of ASCE’s BOK. ASCE isoptimistic that the curricula design,accreditation, and licensing processes willchange over time to adopt a more BOK-centric approach. As this occurs, a greaterproportion of the BOK will be reflected incurricula and in accreditation andlicensure requirements.

The preceding brief history of ASCE PS465 reveals two essentials.

■ The ASCE Board of Direction has beenconsistent in its 1998 initial adoptionand subsequent 2001, 2004, and 2007refinements of the policy. ASCE leader-ship strongly supports reform of civilengineering education and prelicen-sure experience.

■ The premise of PS 465 gradually shiftedfrom a degree basis (for example, “themaster’s as the first professional

Figure C-1. Implementation of Policy Statement 465 will improve the lifelong career of tomorrow’s civil engineer.



life-long lea r ning

E xa m/lic en.


E xa m/lic en.



life-long lea rning


B OK (Implic it)


B OK (E xplic it)

B a c c .educ .

Modified

Mor efoc us ed

Ma s ter ’ s degree or a pproxima tely 30 c redits

E xper .

M/30



life-long lea r ning

E xa m/lic en.


E xa m/lic en.



life-long lea rning


B OK (Implic it)


B OK (E xplic it)

B a c c .educ .

Modified

Mor efoc us ed

Ma s ter ’ s degree or a pproxima tely 30 c redits

E xper .

M/30


degree”) through the “master’s degreeor equivalent” approach, finally settlingon a BOK foundation. This providesflexibility for engineers who cannot ordo not wish to pursue a master’s degreethrough traditional means.

The BOK thrust resulted in the CAP3

Body of Knowledge Committeecompleting, in January 2004, the reportCivil Engineering Body of Knowledge for the21st Century: Preparing the Civil Engineerfor the Future.3 Deliberations resulting inthat report eventually viewed reform ofthe process by which individuals preparefor entry into the professional practice ofcivil engineering as having three elementsor standing on three legs. They are:1) what should be taught and learned;2) how should it be taught and learned;and 3) who should teach and learn it. Thecommittee’s primary focus was the what.

The what recommendations were cast interms of 15 outcomes that, compared totoday’s bachelor’s programs, includedsignificant increases in technical andprofessional depth. Included in the 15outcomes were the 11 outcomes similar tothose used by ABET. Each outcome wasfurther described with a civil engineeringcommentary.

As a result of reviewing and using therecommendations in the civil engineeringBOK report, stakeholders identified aproblem and raised issues related to the BOK.The problem revolved around the threeprincipal words used to define competencylevels—namely, recognition, understanding,and ability. In particular, the CAP3

Curriculum Design Committee came to thisconclusion: Until there were understandable

and readily applicable competencydefinitions—including definitions that wouldbe understood by those outside of thecommittee—development of model curriculawould be fruitless because they may notachieve the intent of the BOK.

To remove this obstacle, CAP3 formed theLevels of Achievement Subcommittee inFebruary 2004 to resolve the levels ofcompetency problem. Subcommitteemembership included the chair of the ABETAccreditation Council Task Force, whosecharge included studying the inconsistencyin implied levels of achievement across thegeneral and program criteria of the fourABET commissions. The subcommittee’sSeptember 2004 report9 contained manyrecommendations that solved the problemand are being implemented. Relative to thissecond edition BOK report, theSubcommittee recommended:

■ Substituting “achievement” for compe-tency in all future references to levels ofdemonstrated learning.

■ Asking the CAP3 Accreditation Com-mittee to use the revised outcomes asthe basis for drafting Program Criteriafor Civil and Similarly Named Engi-neering Programs and General Criteriafor Masters-Level Programs.

■ Using Bloom’s Taxonomy to define lev-els of achievement. Bloom’s levels of thecognitive domain are widely knownand understood within the educationcommunity. Furthermore, use of mea-surable, action-oriented verbs facili-tates more consistent curricula designand assessment.


APPENDIX D

Charge to the Body of Knowledge Committee

Introduction

The first edition of Civil Engineering Bodyof Knowledge for the 21st Century:Preparing the Civil Engineer for the Future,which was released in January 2004, waswell received by a cross section of the U.S.civil engineering community and evenbeyond the U.S. The body of knowledge(BOK) structure is proving to be aproductive common ground fordiscussion among civil engineeringacademics and practitioners as well asmembers of other engineering disciplines.

The first edition of the BOK wasenvisioned as a work-in-progress thatwould be updated on the basis of inputfrom stakeholders within and outside ofcivil engineering. The first edition hasgenerated significant discussion that has,in turn, produced helpful questions,critiques, and suggestions. Accordingly,the ASCE Committee on AcademicPrerequisites for Professional Practice(CAP3), the group charged withimplementing ASCE PS 465, will form theSecond Edition of the Body of KnowledgeCommittee. This committee will becharged, as detailed below, with producingan improved second edition of the BOKreport in response to recent stakeholderinput and other developments inengineering education and practice.

Charge

The Second Edition Body of KnowledgeCommittee is asked to:

1. Collect and review stakeholder inputreceived since publication of the firstedition.

2. Help to publicize the committee’swork with the goal of seeking addi-tional input from a broad communityof stakeholders.

3. Objectively assess the substance of thecivil engineering BOK, as presented inthe first edition. Identify issues,beyond those listed in this charge thatmay require attention.

4. Review the findings and recommen-dations of the Attitudes Study Com-mittee, a subcommittee of the CAP3

Curriculum Committee, and reflectthem in the second edition.

5. Review the findings and recommen-dations of the CAP3 Levels of Achieve-ment Subcommittee and revise theBOK accordingly. In particular, followthrough on the following with respectto the subcommittee’s report:

■ Revise the statements of the out-comes using verbs based onBloom’s Taxonomy.


■ Refine and use the BOK outcomesrubrics table.

■ Respond to the discussion of criti-cal thinking.

6. Strengthen and/or more explicitly dis-cuss the humanities and social sciences(some refer to this as liberal or generaleducation) content of the BOK.

7. Replace the word “commentary,” asused in the first edition, with anappropriate word such as “explana-tion.” Reason: Eliminate possible con-fusion with the use of “commentary”in explanations of ABET criteria.

8. Examine the findings and recommen-dations of the National Academy ofEngineering reports, The Engineer of2020: Visions of Engineering in the NewCentury and Educating the Engineer of2020: Adapting Engineering Educationto the New Century, which were pub-lished after the first edition of theBOK. Describe how the two NAEreports support and/or differ from thecivil engineering BOK and respondaccordingly.

9. Communicate with CAP3 and itsaccreditation, curriculum design, andlicensure committees and other spe-cial purpose groups it may form.

10. Communicate with such groupswithin ASCE having BOK interests asthe Educational Activities Committeeand its constituent committees; theAmerican Academy of Water ResourceEngineers; Civil Engineering Certifi-cation, Inc.; and the Civil EngineeringDepartment Heads Council and itsexecutive committee.

11. Communicate with such groups out-side of ASCE as ABET’s Research andAssessment office, the ABET Accredi-tation Council Task Force or its suc-

cessor, the National Council ofExaminers for Engineering and Sur-veying, the National Society of Profes-sional Engineers, the AmericanSociety of Mechanical Engineering,the Institute for Electronics and Elec-trical Engineers, the U.S. Army Corpsof Engineers, the National Academy ofEngineering, the Society of AmericanMilitary Engineers, and other organi-zations having an interest in the BOK.

12. Prepare a draft report, for review byCAP3, by October 15, 2006, to allowfor publication in January 2007.(Note: The full final BOK2 report waspublished about one year later thanexpected. Reasons for the extra timeincluded the unexpected complexityof drafting, discussing, and concur-ring on the rubric and explanationsand a major effort to seek input fromstakeholders.) That report should:

■ Provide a record of the committee’sprocess, actions, findings, andrecommendations.

■ Follow the overall structure of thefirst edition but reduce the length.The reduced length can be accom-plished by omitting certain supple-mentary materials that are in thefirst edition and can be referenced.The second edition should alsomove as much material as possiblefrom the report’s body into itsappendices. (Note: The second edi-tion is larger than the first editionbecause of complexities encoun-tered, research conducted, and thedecision to document researchresults in appendices. The goal of ashorter report will be achieved bythe decision to publish and widelydistribute a very short summaryreport that focuses on the rubric,which is the heart of the full report.)


■ Retain the “what,” “how,” and“who” dimensions of the BOK, aswas done in the first edition, butcontinue to place the primaryemphasis on the “what.”

13. Publish and widely disseminate thereport. Upon approval of the commit-tee’s report by CAP3, ASCE will beasked to provide editing services andto print and distribute the report. Thesecond edition will be similar in“look” and quality to the first editionbut will use cover color/graphics toclearly distinguish it.

Committee Composition

CAP3 envisions a second editioncommittee composed of from 8 to 15individuals and at least one individualrepresenting each of the followingstakeholder groups or entities:

1. Member of the executive committee ofthe ASCE Civil Engineering Depart-ment Heads Council.

2. Member(s) of the civil engineeringeducational community.

3. Member(s) of the private civil engi-neering practice community.

4. Member(s) of the public civil engi-neering practice community.

5. A current civil engineering student orrecent civil engineering graduate.

6. Representative from the ABET staffknowledgeable of outcome formula-tion and assessment.

7. Member of the CAP3 AccreditationCommittees (could be a liaison personinstead of a committee member).

8. Member of the CAP3 CurriculumDesign Committee (could be a liaisonperson instead of a committeemember).

9. Member of the CAP3 Licensure Com-mittee (could be a liaison personinstead of a committee member).

10. Member of ASCE Civil EngineeringCertification, Inc. (could be a liaisonperson instead of a board member).

Effort Expected of Committee Members

1. Commit to active involvementthroughout the expected 18-monthlife of the committee (from aboutOctober 2005 to April 1, 2007).

2. Participate in about two face-to-facemeetings, which will be held in a cost-effective location and occur all daySaturday and half of Sunday. Mostexpenses will be reimbursed in accor-dance with ASCE policy.

3. Participate in one-hour conferencecalls to be held every two to threeweeks.

4. Equitably volunteer for research, writ-ing, and presentation tasks and/oraccept task assignments as needed tocarry out the committee’s charge.

Prepared by CAP3

September 2005


APPENDIX E

Members and Corresponding Members of the Body of Knowledge Committee

Members

CAP3 sought a new and diverse group ofengineering practitioners and educators asmembers and corresponding members ofthe new BOK2 Committee. Of particularinterest to CAP3 were potential memberswho could provide a fresh assessment ofthe BOK.

To accomplish this, CAP3 took a uniqueapproach in recruiting the members of thenew committee. In the August 2005 issueof ASCE News, a public call was made toseek self-nominations for the newcommittee. Each nominee completed acomprehensive application describingtheir background, interest, andcommitment to the BOK project.

Approximately 30 applications werereceived from this open call. Selections ofBOK2 Committee members and a coregroup of corresponding members weremade by CAP3 in September 2005. InOctober 2005, an ASCE PS 465 workshopwas held for new committee members inconjunction with the ASCE annualmeeting in Los Angeles. This one-dayworkshop addressed the background of PS465 and the BOK—and ASCE’s progressin implementation. Following thisworkshop the new members were asked to

confirm their interest in the BOK2Committee. With a core group of 14members and more than 20 initialcorresponding members, the BOKCommittee had its first weekly telephoneconference on November 16, 2005, and itsfirst face-to-face meeting in Tampa,Florida, on January 28–29, 2006.

Members of the BOK2 Committee are:

Richard O. ANDERSON, P.E., Hon.M.ASCE, Somat Engineering, Detroit, MI, [email protected]. (Chair-person)

Kenneth J. FRIDLEY, Ph.D., M.ASCE, Department of Civil and Environmen-tal Engineering, University of Ala-bama, Tuscaloosa, AL, [email protected]. (Vice Chair)

Stuart G. WALESH, Ph.D., P.E., Hon.M.ASCE, Consultant, Englewood, FL, [email protected]. (Editor)

Anirban DE, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE, Department of Civil Engineering, Man-hattan College, Riverdale, NY, [email protected].

Decker B. HAINS, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE, U.S. Military Academy, West Point, NY, [email protected].


Ronald S. HARICHANDRAN, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, [email protected].

Peter W. HOADLEY, Ph.D., P.E., A.M.ASCE, Department of Civil Engi-neering, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, VA, [email protected].

Manoj K. JHA, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE, Department of Civil Engineering, Mor-gan State University, Baltimore, MD, [email protected].

David A. LANGE, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE, Department of Civil and Environmen-tal Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, [email protected].

Melanie L. LAWRENCE, A.M.ASCE, Leonard Rice Engineers, Inc., Denver, CO, [email protected].

Timothy F. LENGYEL, P.E., M.ASCE, Winzler & Kelly Consulting Engineers, San Francisco, CA, [email protected].

Daniel R. LYNCH, Ph.D., M.ASCE, Thayer School of Engineering, Dart-mouth College, Hanover, NH, [email protected].

Robert E. MACKEY, P.E., M.ASCE, S2L Inc., Maitland, FL, [email protected].

John M. MASON, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE, College of Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, [email protected].

Jeffrey S. RUSSELL, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE, Department of Civil and Environmen-tal Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI, [email protected]. (CAP3 Chair)

Corresponding Members

The purpose of inviting individuals toparticipate as corresponding members ofthe BOK2 Committee was to furtherencourage an active, open dialogue on thetopics of discussion relevant to members ofthe ASCE family and beyond. By doing so,the BOK2 Committee believed that evenmore rational, equitable decisions could bereached that would help implement ASCEPS 465—that is, reform of the educationand prelicensure experience of civilengineers. As indicated by the following list,more than 50 individuals representing awide variety of professional situations choseto participate as corresponding members.

These corresponding members werecopied on essentially all draft and othermaterials distributed to the BOK2Committee. They were also informed ofplanned conference calls and face-to-facemeetings of the committee and invited toparticipate as interest and time permitted.Accordingly, corresponding membersreceived meeting agendas and minutes.Finally, corresponding members wereinvited to participate in the many e-maildiscussions, and sometimes debates, thatoccurred during the work of the BOK2Committee, which they did with valuableinsight and with vigor.

Carsten D. AHRENS, Ph.D., Fachhoch-schule Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Ger-many, [email protected].

Alfredo H. S. ANG, Ph.D., Hon.M.ASCE, Bellevue, WA, [email protected].

Tomasz ARCISZEWSKI, Ph.D., A.M.ASCE, Department of Civil, Envi-ronmental, and Infrastructure Engi-neering, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, [email protected].


C. Robert BAILLOD, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE, DEE, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, [email protected].

Amitabha BANDYOPADHYAY, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE, Holbrook, NY, [email protected].

Bryan BOULANGER, Ph.D., Zachry Department of Civil Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX.

Brian R. BRENNER, P.E., M.ASCE, Department of Civil and Environmen-tal Engineering, Tufts University, Med-ford, MA, [email protected].

Jason BURKE, P.E., M.ASCE, Big Tim-ber, MT, [email protected].

Donald D. CARPENTER, A.M.ASCE, Lawrence Technological University, Southfield, MI, [email protected].

Pascale CHAMPAGNE, Ph.D., A.M.ASCE, Department of Civil Engineering, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada, [email protected].

Karen C. CHOU, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE, Department of Mechanical and Civil Engineering, Minnesota State University, Mankato, MN, [email protected].

Larry A. ESVELT, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE, Esvelt Environmental Engineering, Spokane, WA, [email protected].

Robert ETTEMA, M.ASCE, Institute of Hydraulic Research, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, [email protected].

Jeffrey C. EVANS, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE, Department of Civil and Environmen-tal Engineering, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA, [email protected].

Howard C. GIBBS, P.E., M.ASCE, Poto-mac Electric Power Company, Wash-ington, DC, [email protected].

Ali HAGHANI, Ph.D., M.ASCE, Department of Civil Engineering, Uni-versity of Maryland, College Park, MD, [email protected].

Gerd W. HARTUNG, P.E., M.ASCE, Bloomfield, MI, [email protected].

Chris HENDRICKSON, Ph.D., M.ASCE, Department of Civil Engi-neering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, [email protected].

Thomas HEWETT, Department of Psy-chology, Drexel University, Philadel-phia, PA, [email protected].

Garabed M. HOPLAMAZIAN, P.E., M.ASCE, Southfield, MI, [email protected].

Kenneth C. JOHNS, Civil Engineering, Universite de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada, [email protected].

Gudrun KAMMASCH, Ph.D., P.E., University of Applied Sciences, Berlin, Germany, [email protected].

Dinesh R. KATTI, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE, Department of Civil Engineering, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, [email protected].

Kenneth G. KELLOGG, P.E., M.ASCE, Klamath Falls, OR, [email protected].

William E. KELLY, P.E., F.ASCE, Catho-lic University of America, Washington, DC, [email protected].

Merlin KIRSCHENMAN, P.E., M.ASCE, Professor Emeritus, North Dakota State University, Moorhead, MN, [email protected].

William R. KNOCKE, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE, Department of Civil Engineering, Virginia


Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, VA, [email protected].

Kenneth W. LAMB, A.M.ASCE, G.C. Wallace, Las Vegas, NV, [email protected].

Jim LAMMIE, P.E., Hon.M.ASCE, Consultant, Princeton, NY, [email protected].

William H. LEDER, P.E., F.ASCE, Houghton, MI, [email protected].

James L. LEE, Historic American Engi-neering Record, Washington, DC, [email protected].

E. Walter LEFEVRE, Ph.D., P.E., Hon.M.ASCE, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, [email protected].

Jerry J. MARLEY, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, [email protected].

Paul W. MCMULLIN, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE, Chief Engineer, Dunn Associ-ates, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT, [email protected].

Donald E. MILKS, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE, Chautauqua, NY, [email protected].

Adi K. MURTHY, P.A.K. Murthy Con-sultants, Chennai, India, [email protected].

James K. NELSON, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE, College of Engineering and Computer Science, University of Texas at Tyler, TX, [email protected].

John S. NELSON, P.E., Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI, [email protected].

James K. PLEMMONS, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE, The Citadel, Charleston, SC, [email protected].

Stephen J. RESSLER, Ph.D., P.E., Hon.M.ASCE, U.S. Military Academy, West Point, NY, [email protected].

Jerry R. ROGERS, Ph.D., P.E., D.WRE, F.ASCE, Civil and Environmental Engi-neering Department, University of Houston, Houston, TX, [email protected].

David I. RUBY, P.E., F.ASCE, Ruby & Associates PC, Farmington Hills, MI, [email protected].

Steven D. SANDERS, P.E., M.ASCE, GSW & Associates Inc., Dallas, TX, [email protected].

Subal SARKAR, P.E., M.ASCE, Prince-ton Junction, NJ, [email protected].

David M. SCHWEGEL, A.M.ASCE, Sac-ramento, CA, [email protected].

Roger K. SEALS, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Louisiana State Univer-sity, Baton Rouge, LA, [email protected].

Jennifer Walker SHANNON, P.E., M.ASCE, TBE Group, Inc., Clearwater, FL, [email protected].

Alan T. SHEPPARD, P.E., M.ASCE, Strongsville, OH, [email protected].

Johann F. SZAUTNER, P.E., L.S., M.ASCE, Bethlehem, PA, [email protected].

Y. C. TOKLU, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE, Fac-ulty of Engineering, Bahcesehir Univer-sity, Istanbul, [email protected].

Marlee A. WALTON, P.E., M.ASCE, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, [email protected].


ASCE Staff

Thomas A. LENOX, Ph.D., M.ASCE, [email protected]. (CAP3 Staff Leader)

James J. O’BRIEN, Jr., P.E., M.ASCE, [email protected]. (Staff Contact)

Deborah CONNOR, [email protected]. (Staff Contact)

Contributors to Special Tasks

The following individuals, although notnecessarily BOK2 Committee members orcorresponding members, kindly contributedto the indicated special tasks:

Anna M. MICHALAK, Ph.D., P.E., Department of Civil and Environmen-tal Engineering and Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Space Sci-ences, University of Michigan, served on the Risk/Uncertainty Task Group along with BOK2 Committee member Robert E. MACKEY and BOK2 Corre-sponding members Alfredo H. S. ANG and Karen C. CHOU.

Kevin G. SUTTERER, Ph.D., P.E., Department of Civil Engineering, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, along with BOK2 Committee member Daniel R. LYNCH and BOK2 Corresponding member Jeffrey C. EVANS, prepared Appendix G, The Affective Domain of Bloom’s Taxonomy.

Ernest T. SMERDON, Ph.D., P.E.; Gerald E. GALLOWAY, Jr., Ph.D., P.E.; BOK2 Corresponding member Merlin KIRSCHENMAN; and BOK2 Commit-tee member Kenneth J. FRIDLEY devel-

oped the Guidance for Faculty section of Chapter 4.

Debra LARSON, Ph.D., P.E., Professor and Chair, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northern Arizona University, and BOK2 Corre-sponding member Brian R. BRENNER contributed ideas and information used to create the Guidance for Students sec-tion of Chapter 4.

Bernard R. BERSON, P.E., L.S., P.P., FNSPE and NSPE President-Elect (2006–2007); Phillip E. BORROWMAN; P.E., Senior Vice President, Hanson Pro-fessional Services; and BOK2 Corre-sponding member Steven D. SANDERS contributed ideas and information used to create the Guidance for Engineer Interns section of Chapter 4.

William M. HAYDEN, Ph.D., P.E., Management Quality by Design; William S. HOWARD, P.E., Executive Vice President and Chief Technical Officer, CDM; and BOK2 Committee members Melanie L. LAWRENCE and Robert E. MACKEY provided ideas used to create the Guidance for Practi-tioners section of Chapter 4.

Richard L. CORRIGAN, Senior Vice President and Director of Strategic Initia-tives, CH2M HILL, helped BOK2 Com-mittee members John M. MASON and Timothy F. LENGYEL and BOK2 Corre-sponding members Steven D. SANDERS and Jennifer Walker SHANNON pre-pare Appendix N, Public Policy.

BOK2 Corresponding member Jeffrey C. EVANS and BOK2 Committee mem-bers Daniel R. LYNCH and David A. LANGE prepared Appendix K, Human-ities and Social Sciences.


APPENDIX F

Bloom’s Taxonomy

The articulation of BOK learning outcomesand related levels of achievement comes, inpart, from the desire to clarify what shouldbe taught and learned. Clarification can beachieved through the use of Bloom’sTaxonomy of Educational Objectivesa forthe cognitive domain, which systematicallydifferentiates outcome characteristics andpromotes common understanding for allusers of the BOK. The cognitive domainrefers to educational objectives that involvethe recall and recognition of knowledgeand the development of intellectual abilitiesand skills.

Bloom’s Taxonomy was originally conceivedas a technique to reduce the labor ofpreparing comprehensive examinationsthrough the exchange of test items amongfaculty at various universities.a The goal wasto create banks of test items in which eachbank attended to the same educationalobjective. A team of measurementspecialists began meeting in 1949 to createthe taxonomy of objectives and their firstdraft was published in 1956. Bloombelieved, however, that the originaltaxonomy went beyond measurement.Among his many ideas was his belief thatthe taxonomy could serve as a commonlanguage for expressing and understandinglearning goals or objectives.b

Bloom’s emphasis on the use of measurable,action-oriented verbs facilitates the creationof outcome statements that lend themselvesto more consistent and more effective

assessment. Bloom’s Taxonomy consists ofsix levels in the cognitive domain, whichherein are called levels of achievement.These achievement levels for cognitivedevelopment will occur as a result of formaleducation and experience.

The Levels of Achievement SubcommitteeReportc details the recommendation to useBloom’s Taxonomy as the levels ofachievement for the BOK. The purpose ofthis appendix is to define the achievementlevels and provide definitions of the activeverbs used in the BOK for each level. Thesedefinitions are helpful because some of theactive verbs can be used at different levels.Moreover, for some outcomes, Bloom’sTaxonomy was not directly applicable andverbs were chosen with specific definitionsto convey the progression through thelevels of achievement. These specialinstances are noted in the definitions ateach level. The definitions of the verbswere taken from Webster's Third NewInternational Dictionary, Unabridged.d Thedefinition of the levels of achievement weresummarized from Bloom’s Taxonomy ofEducational Objectives,a Stating Objectivesfor Classroom Instruction, 2nd Editione andfrom the Levels of AchievementSubcommittee Report.c

Level 1—Knowledge

Knowledge is defined as the rememberingof previously learned material. This may


involve the recall of a wide range ofmaterial, from specific facts to completetheories, but all that is required is thebringing to mind of the appropriateinformation. Knowledge represents thelowest level of learning outcomes in thecognitive domain.e

Define: to discover and set forth the meaning of.

Describe: to present distinctly by means of properties and qualities.

Identify: to select; to choose something for a number or group.

List: to declare to be.

Recognize: to perceive clearly.

Other illustrative verbs at the knowledgelevel include: enumerate, label, match,name, reproduce, select, and state.

Level 2—Comprehension

Comprehension is defined as the ability tograsp the meaning of material. This maybe shown by translating material from oneform to another (words to numbers), byinterpreting material (explaining orsummarizing), and by estimating futuretrends (predicting consequences oreffects). These learning outcomes go onestep beyond the simple remembering ofmaterial, and represent the lowest level ofunderstanding.e

Explain: to make plain or understandable.

Describe: to present distinctly by means of properties and qualities.

Distinguish: to perceive as being sepa-rate or different.

Discuss: to present in detail.

Other illustrative verbs at the comprehensionlevel include: classify, cite, convert, estimate,generalize, give examples, paraphrase,restate (in own words), and summarize.

Level 3—Application

Application refers to the ability to uselearned material in new and concretesituations. This may include theapplication of such things as rules,methods, concepts, principles, laws, andtheories. Learning outcomes in this arearequire a higher level of understandingthan those under comprehension.e

Solve: to find an answer, solution, explanation, or remedy for.

Apply: to use for a particular purpose or in a particular case.

Use: to carry out a purpose or action by means of.

Formulate: to plan out in orderly fashion.

Develop: to make clear, plain, or under-standable. Develop is similar to “explain” but at a greater level of detail.

Conduct: the act, manner, or process of carrying out (as a task) or carrying forward.

Report: to give an account of; to give a for-mal or official account or statement of.

Organize: to put in a state of order.

Function: to carry on in a certain capacity.

Demonstrate: to illustrate or explain in an orderly and detailed way especially with many examples, specimens, and particulars.

Explain: to give the reason for or cause of. Although commonly a level 2 or


level 5 verb when used in the context of outcome 11, contemporary issues and historical perspectives, the verb “explain” conveys the application of broad education to the identification, formulation, and solution of engineer-ing problems.

Other illustrative verbs at the applicationlevel include: administer, articulate,calculate, chart, compute, contribute,establish, implement, prepare, provide,and relate.

Level 4— Analysis

Analysis refers to the ability to break downmaterial into its component parts so that itsorganizational structure may beunderstood. This may include theidentification of parts, analysis of therelationship between parts, and recognitionof the organizational principles involved.Learning outcomes here represent a higherintellectual level than comprehension andapplication because they require anunderstanding of both the content and thestructural form of the material.e

Analyze: to ascertain the components of or separate into component parts; determine carefully the fundamental elements of (as by separation or isola-tion) for close scrutiny and examination of constituents or for accurate resolu-tion of an overall structure or nature.

Select: to choose something from a number or group.

Organize: to arrange by systematic planning and coordination; to unify into a coordinated functioning whole. Although “organize” is not typically a level 4 verb, it is appropriate for out-comes 8 (problem recognition and solving), 16 (communication), and 20 (leadership). For each of these out-

comes, the verb “organize” conveys the appropriate educational objective progression.

Compare: to examine the character or qualities of, especially for the purpose of discovering resemblances or differences.

Contrast: to compare in respect of dif-ferences; to examine like objects by means of which dissimilar qualities are made prominent.

Illustrate: to make clear by giving exam-ples or instances.

Formulate: to put into a systematized statement or expression.

Deliver: give forth in words; to make known to another. Although the verb “deliver” is not typically a level 4 verb, it is appropriate for outcome 16 (commu-nication) because it conveys the appro-priate educational objective progression.

Function: to carry on in a certain capac-ity. For level 4, the verb “function” is only used for outcome 21 (teamwork) and it has the same definition at level 4 as it does at level 3. In this case, the verb does not convey the educational pro-gression between levels 3 and 4. Rather, the progression is delineated by the movement from an intradisciplinary to a multidisciplinary team.

Direct: to carry out the organizing, ener-gizing, and supervising of, especially in an authoritative capacity; to regulate the activities or course of; to guide and supervise; to assist by giving advice, instruction, and supervision. The verb “direct” may not be considered a typical level 4 verb; however, within the context of outcome 20 (leadership), the verb “direct” conveys the logical educational progression in the outcome.


Identify: to establish the distinguishing characteristic of; to select; to choose something from a number or group. The verb “identify” is also a level 1 verb; however, within the context of outcome 23 (lifelong learning), the verb “iden-tify” conveys the ability to determine the additional knowledge, skills, and attitudes appropriate for professional practice, which is a level 4 task.

Other illustrative verbs at the analysis levelinclude: break down, correlate, differentiate,discriminate, infer, and outline.

Level 5—Synthesis

Synthesis refers to the ability to puttogether to form a new whole. This mayinvolve the production of a uniquecommunication, a plan of operation(research proposal), or a set of abstractrelations (scheme for classifyinginformation). Learning outcomes in thisarea stress creative behaviors and placemajor emphasis on the formulation ofnew patterns or structure.e

Create: to produce (as a work of art or of dramatic interpretation) along new or unconventional lines; to make or bring into existence something new.

Design: to conceive and plan out in the mind; to create, fashion, execute, or construct according to plan; to origi-nate, draft, and work out, set up, or set forth.

Specify: to tell or state precisely or in detail. Although not usually considered a level 5 verb, when used with outcome 7 (experiments), the verb “specify” refers to the ability to determine which experiment or experiments are required. Drawing from a wide range of possibilities and then specifying the appropriate one(s) is a level 5 task.

Explain: to show the logical develop-ment or relationships of. “Explain” is also a level 2 verb when it simply means to make plain or understandable. Showing a logical development or rela-tionships are level 5 tasks.

Synthesize: combine or put together by the composition or combination of parts or elements so as to form a whole; the combining of often varied and diverse ideas, forces, or factors into one coherent or consistent complex.

Relate: to show or establish a logical or causal connection between.

Develop: to open up; to cause to become more completely unfolded so as to reveal hidden or unexpected qualities or potentialities; to lay out (as a represen-tation) into a clear, full, and explicit pre-sentation. “Develop” is also a level 3 verb when—much like the verb “explain”—it means to make clear, plain, or understandable. For outcomes 10 (sustainability), 12 (risk and uncer-tainty), 17 (public policy), and 19 (glo-balization) develop requires synthesis.

Plan: to devise or project the realization or achievement of; to arrange the parts of.

Compose: to form by putting together two or more things, elements, or parts; to put together; to arrange in a fitting, proper, or orderly way.

Integrate: to make complete; to form into a more complete, harmonious, or coordinated entity, often by the addi-tion or arrangement of parts or ele-ments; to combine to form a more complete, harmonious, or coordinated entity; to incorporate (as an individual or group) into a larger unit or group.

Construct: to form, make, or create by combining parts or elements; to create by organizing ideas or concepts


logically, coherently, or palpably; to draw with suitable instruments so as to fulfill certain specified conditions; to assemble separate and often disparate elements.

Adapt: to make suitable (for a new or different use or situation) by means of changes or modifications.

Organize: to arrange or constitute into a coherent unity in which each part has a special function or relation; to arrange by systematic planning and coordina-tion of individual effort; to arrange ele-ments into a whole of interdependent parts.

Execute: to put into effect; to carry out fully and completely.

Other illustrative verbs at the synthesis levelinclude: anticipate, collaborate, combine,compile, devise, facilitate, generate,incorporate, modify, reconstruct, reorganize,revise, and structure.

Level 6—Evaluation

Evaluation concerns the ability to judgethe value of material for a given purpose.The judgments are to be based on definitecriteria. These may be internal criteria(organization) or external criteria(relevance to the purpose) and theindividual may determine the criteria orbe given them. Learning outcomes in thisarea are highest in the cognitive hierarchybecause they contain elements of all theother categories as well as conscious valuejudgments based on clearly definedcriteria.e

Evaluate: to examine and judge con-cerning the worth, quality, significance, amount, degree, or condition of.

Compare: to examine the character or qualities of, especially for the purpose

of discovering resemblances or differ-ences. This definition is the same as for level 4; however, when used in context with the verb “evaluate” for outcome 8 (problem recognition and solving), the combined action requires evaluation and is a level 6 task.

Appraise: to judge and analyze the worth, significance or status of; especially to give a definitive expert judgment of the merit, rank, or importance of.

Justify: to prove or show to be just, desirable, warranted, or useful.

Assess: to analyze critically and judge definitively the nature, significance, sta-tus, or merit of; to determine the importance, size, or value of.

Self-assess: to personally or internally analyze critically and judge definitively the nature, significance, status, or merit of a personal trait. Outcome 23 (life-long learning) uses the verb “self-assess” to convey the concept of intro-spective reflection.

Other illustrative verbs at the evaluationlevel include: compare and contrast,conclude, criticize, decide, defend, judge,and recommend.

Cited Sources

a) Bloom, B. S., M. D. Englehart, E. J.Furst, W. H. Hill, and D. Krathwohl.1956. Taxonomy of Educational Objec-tives, the Classification of EducationalGoals, Handbook I: Cognitive Domain.David McKay, New York, NY.

b) Anderson, L., D. R. Krathwohl, P. W.Airasian, K. A. Cruikshank, R. E.Mayer, P. R. Pintrich, J. Raths, and M.C. Wittrock. 2001. A Taxonomy ofLearning, Teaching, and Assessment: A


Revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy. AddisonWesley Longman, Inc. New York, NY.

c) ASCE Levels of Achievement Subcom-mittee. 2005. Levels of AchievementApplicable to the Body of KnowledgeRequired for Entry Into the Practice ofCivil Engineering at the ProfessionalLevel, Reston, VA, September. (http://www.asce.org/raisethebar)

d) Webster's Third New International Dic-tionary, Unabridged. Merriam-Webster,2002. Available at http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com.

e) Gronlund, N. E. 1978. Stating Objec-tives for Classroom Instruction, 2nd

Edition, Macmillan, New York, NY.

http://www.asce.org/raisethebar


http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com



APPENDIX G

The Affective Domain of Bloom’s Taxonomy

Overview

The civil engineering body of knowledge(BOK) is central to the profession. TheBOK is the necessary depth and breadth ofknowledge, skills, and attitudes requiredof an individual entering the practice ofcivil engineering at the professional levelin the 21st century. The levels ofachievement are described in terms of astandard educational taxonomy, initiatedby Bloom et al.10

Blooms taxonomy consists of threedomains: cognitive, affective, andpsychomotor. The cognitive domain refersto educational objectives that deal with therecall or recognition of knowledge and thedevelopment of intellectual abilities andskills. It is used exclusively herein todescribe desirable civil engineeringoutcomes and levels of achievement.

The affective domain includes objectivesthat describe changes in interest, attitudes,and values and is an inseparablecomplement. Progress in the affectivedomain is described in terms ofinternalization of values. The affectivedomain provides a distinct and valuablevocabulary and set of concepts that arerelevant to professional education.

Several outcomes already identifiedas important to the profession would

be enhanced by descriptions in boththe cognitive domain and the affec-tive domain. Two examples are out-come 24 (professional and ethicalresponsibility) and outcome 16(communication).

These examples illustrate the value addedby including an affective domaindescription in cases in which cognitivedevelopment alone does not cover the fullscope of the outcome. The BOK2Committee recommends that furtherwork be undertaken in this area.

Bloom’s Taxonomya,b

There are many developmental taxonomies.Each describes the same thing—the humanperson—and the educational process ofhuman development. The purpose of ataxonomy is to break down this overalldevelopment process into smallerdiscernable “chunks” within which:

■ Goals can be articulated

■ Metrics of achievement can be con-structed

■ Achievement can be assessed.

Because any taxonomy attempts todescribe the whole, constructing a hybridof different taxonomies is ill-advised


unless one is prepared to engage ineducational research per se.

According to Bloom,a there are threedomains:

■ “…the cognitive domain … includesthose objectives [that] deal with therecall or recognition of knowledge andthe development of intellectual abilitiesand skills.”

■ “…the affective domain … includesobjectives [that] describe changes ininterest, attitudes, and values …”

■ the psychomotor domain, whichincludes “…the manipulative or motor-skill area.”

The cognitive domain was found to bemost amenable to easy study and formedthe basis of the first Bloom-led study.a Thesecond effort—by Krathwohlb—extendedthis into the affective domain withoutchanging the cognitive domain. The third,or psychomotor domain, was in fact notrecommended by Blooma for furtherstudy, although it remains a distinctdomain.c

In describing the affective domain,Krathwohl and othersb adoptedinternalization as the basis of classificationin this domain. This domain is easilysummarized with the hybrid phrase“internalization of values and attitudes.”Clearly, this is very different from thecognitive domain. The affective domainconsists of five levels of increasingachievement, as illustrated in Table G-1.

Appendices prepared by Krathwohl andothersb are very useful. Their appendices Aand B summarize both the cognitive andaffective domains. Descriptive phrasesused in their Appendix A serve asexamples to illustrate the affective domainand are quoted in Table G-2.

Perhaps the most compelling case for therelevance of the affective domain is thedescription of level 3, valuing: “Thiscategory will be found appropriate formany objectives that use the term‘attitude’ (as well as, of course, ‘value’).”b

Several more current sources andactivitiesd,e,f,g provide additionaldiscussion and example verbs for use inthe affective domain originally developedby Krathwohl and others.b

As mentioned above there are manytaxonomies, all seeking to describe the samething: human development. The cognitive/affective divide is characteristic, but notuniversal. For example, the conceive-design-implement-operate (CDIO)h taxonomy is amore contemporary (2001) creation. Itmingles these domains in a differentmanner, combining “professional skills andattitudes” and also “personal skills andattitudes” quite deep in the taxonomy.Because of this, combining parts fromdisparate taxonomies is not advised lest thefullness and unity of the object be lost.

First Edition of the Body of Knowledgei

The first edition of the body of knowledgefocuses on the knowledge, skills, andattitudes (KSA) required for the futurecivil engineer. There are 15 specificoutcomes generally falling within theknowledge/skills arena. Beyond that, thereis a significant discussion of attitudes. Thefollowing points are made:

■ Attitudes are an essential component ofthe “what” dimension of the BOK.

■ Attitudes are found to be integral partsof the BOK of other professions.


■ Studies point to the essential role ofattitudes in individual and groupachievement.

■ Knowledge and skills are necessary, butnot sufficient, for the fully professionalengineer.

■ Absent a proactive effort at the univer-sity level, many civil engineering stu-dents and young engineers are notlikely to acquire such attitudes—orworse, are likely to acquire negativeattitudes.

There are three levels of achievement inthe first BOK report:i recognition,understanding, and ability. These aresuggested to be used in describingachievement of outcomes 1–15. Thereport also suggested that attitudes beconnected to the achievement of outcomes1–15; however the mechanism is not clear.

The Levels of Achievement Reportj

In the levels of achievement (LOA) report,the three achievement levels—recognition,

understanding, and ability—were deemedunworkable. The search for a replacementled this subcommittee to a survey of theassessment field and to the need for anestablished learning taxonomy. There areseveral. The subcommittee rejected thenotion that ASCE could invent its owntaxonomy. Following a review of extanttaxonomies, Bloom’s original taxonomywas found to be most useful. Specifically,the 15 outcomes were discussed in terms ofBloom’s cognitive domain; and Bloom’s sixcognitive levels were recommended. Theissue of attitudes and their connection tothe 15 outcomes was not addressed, norwas the need for the affective domain,although the latter was noted.

By inference the LOA subcommittee foundthe cognitive domain of Bloom’sTaxonomy sufficient for these originaloutcomes 1–15. The subcommittee’sreport was generally silent on addressingthe need for or value of the affectivedomain.

Table G-1. Levels and sublevels of achievement in the affective domain.b

Affective taxonomy

1.0 Receiving

1.1 Awareness

1.2 Willingness to receive

1.3 Controlled or selected attention

2.0 Responding

2.1 Acquiescence in responding

2.2 Willingness to respond

2.3 Satisfaction in response

3.0 Valuing

3.1 Acceptance of a value

3.2 Preference for a value

3.3 Commitment

4.0 Organization4.1 Conceptualization of a value

4.2 Organization of a value system

5.0 Characterization by a value complex5.1 Generalized set

5.2 Characterization


Table G-2. Illustrative affective domain objectives excerpted from Krathwohl et al.,b

Appendix A, “A Condensed Version of the Affective Domain.”a

2.0 Responding

2.2 Willingness to respond■ Acquaints himself/herself with significant current issues in international, political, social, and

economic affairs through voluntary reading and discussion.■ Acceptance of responsibility for his/her own health and for the protection of the health of

others

2.3 Satisfaction in response■ Enjoyment of self-expression in music and in arts and crafts as another means of personal

enrichment.■ Finds pleasure in reading for recreation.■ Takes pleasure in conversing with many different kinds of people

3.0 Valuing

3.1 Acceptance of a value■ Continuing desire to develop the ability to speak and write effectively.■ Grows in his/her sense of kinship with human beings of all nations.

3.2 Preference for a value■ Assumes responsibility for drawing reticent members of a group into conversation.■ Deliberately examines a variety of viewpoints on controversial issues with a view to forming

opinions about them.■ Actively participates in arranging for the showing of contemporary artistic efforts.

3.3 Commitment■ Devotion to those ideas and ideals that are the foundations of democracy.■ Faith in the power of reason and in methods of experiment and discussion.

4.0 Organization

4.1 Conceptualization of a value■ Attempts to identify the characteristics of an art object that he/she admires.■ Forms judgments as to the responsibility of society for conserving human and material

resources.

4.2 Organization of a value system■ Weighs alternative social policies and practices against the standards of the public welfare

rather than the advantage of specialized and narrow interest groups.■ Develops a plan for regulating his/her rest in accordance with the demands of his/her

activities.

5.0 Characterization by a value or value complex

5.1 Generalized set■ Readiness to revise judgments and to change behavior in the light of evidence.■ Judges problems and issues in terms of situations, issues, purposes, and consequences involved

rather than in terms of fixed, dogmatic precepts or emotionally wishful thinking.

5.2 Characterization■ Develops for regulation of his/her personal and civic life a code of behavior based on ethical

principles consistent with democratic ideals.■ Develops a consistent philosophy of life.

a This table excludes Section 1.0 and Section 2.1 as shown in Table G-1 because they are not appropriate for college education.


The Curriculum Committee Reportk

In parallel, the ASCE Committee onAcademic Prerequisites for ProfessionalPractice (CAP3) created the CurriculaCommittee. This group’s work is quitecomprehensive, examining the original BOKand the recommendations of the LOA effort.Specifically, the committee endorsed theoriginal 15 outcomes and the use of Bloom’scognitive taxonomy. Regarding attitudes,this committee echoed the description in thefirst BOK report and supplemented it. Itendorsed the importance of attitudes withinthe profession and echoed the idea of linkingattitudes to the 15 outcomes.

Predictably, there were difficulties—attitudesthat were not measurable (cognitive)outcomes; some attitudes demonstrably both“good” and “bad,” depending on the context;no definitive list; and no metrics ofassessment.

Among the conclusions of the CurriculumCommittee:k

■ Knowledge and skill are necessary, butnot sufficient, for the practice of civilengineering.

■ Professional attitudes can and shouldbe learned.

■ Attitudes cannot be taught, but can be“taught about.”

The Curriculum Committee offered theserecommendations:

■ “Any use of this BOK to advance stan-dardized measurements of attitudewould be contrary to the committee’srecommendations. When it comes toattitudes as part of the BOK, a flexibleapproach is in order.

■ The committee believes that civil engi-neering departments and employers

should adopt the approach that under-standing the value and meaning of cer-tain attitudes is an educational anddevelopmental opportunity.

■ The committee recommends that eachemployer and university civil and envi-ronmental engineering departmentselect a set of constructive attitudes,possibly calling them professional atti-tudes. They may draw on the examplelist provided earlier or use othersources. They may choose to teachabout the selected attitudes within theB+M/30&E process.” (That is, duringprelicensure formal education andexperience.)

There is no recommendation here relativeto what is clearly “affective” in Bloom’sTaxonomy.

Second Edition of the BOK

In the second edition of the BOK (thisreport), the 15 outcomes have beenrefined and expanded to 24. In so doingthe cognitive domain has been used as thebasis of the rubric, generally following theLOA suggestions. Significant progress hasbeen made.

Regarding the BOK1 attitudes issue, theBOK2 Committee considered interpretingthe KSA categories (knowledge, skills, andattitudes) as knowledge, skills, andabilities—consistent with an overall focuson the cognitive domain only. This has theadvantage of being more readilymeasurable. But despite the appeal ofusing a different “A” word, it is not asynonym. After consideration, the BOK2Committee rejected this substitution fortwo reasons:

■ Abilities do not seem different from skills.

■ The sense of “attitude” is entirely lost.


Interestingly, Bloom’s cognitive domaindenotes level 1 achievement as“knowledge;” while cognitive levels 2–6are “intellectual abilities and skills.”

Reflecting this, the BOK2 Committee hasincluded an explicit, stand-alone attitudeoutcome: outcome 22 (attitudes). Thisoutcome, like others, is described solely interms of cognitive domain achievements.The cognitive domain provides asomewhat incomplete vocabulary for thisoutcome. There is overlap of the cognitiveand affective domains, especially at thelower levels 1 and 2 of achievement. But atlevel 3, “valuing,” the most obviousdeparture from the cognitive domainoccurs. At level 3 and beyond, increasingaffective achievement is uniquely describedin terms of internalization of values andattitudes, a notion not relevant in thecognitive domain. Continued BOK2Committee discussion indicates that theremay be an affective dimension ofachievement implicit in several identifiedoutcomes.

Conclusion: Two-Dimensional Outcomes

The BOK2 Committee concludes thatthere is value added in exploring anaffective domain description of thepresent outcomes, to accompany theexisting cognitive domain descriptions.There is nothing wrong with the cognitivedomain; it is simply incomplete. Thecommittee suggests a two-dimensionalclassification: cognitive and affective. Thishas the advantage of freeing some of theoutcomes from a one-dimensional senseof achievement and allowing additionalnoncognitive verbs to enter the

achievement descriptions as appropriate.A two-dimensional approach will addvalue to the description of the individualoutcomes and add legitimacy in the senseof properly using the selected taxonomy.

The bottom line is this: the professionwants individuals who possess more thanknowledge and skill.l The affective domainis one framework in which a morecomplete analysis and discussion canoccur. Given the high and continuinginterest in “affective” development, theBOK2 Committee recommends that thisbe explored, but not as part of the BOK2Committee’s efforts.

Example Affective Domain Rubrics

Consider the two example rubrics, usingthe Affective Domain, that appear inTables G-3 and G-4. These supplementand enrich the existing cognitive rubrics;they do not replace them. For illustrativepurposes the cognitive rubric is replicatedhere without change. Several possibilitiesoccur in the professional outcomecategory, but not all. There may besomething useful in the foundationalcategory such as a scientific respect fortheory and observation; humanist valuesdirected at needs; an internalization of thevalue inherent in diversity in teamwork;and the foundational basis of ethics. Thecommittee has not attempted these, butfeel that the point is best made in theexamples selected.

The example rubrics are followed bycommentaries on the affective domainportions.

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Table G-3. Example rubric for a two-dimensional outcome—communication.

Outcometitle

Level of affective achievement

1Receiving

2Responding

3Valuing

4Organizing

conceptualizing5

Characterizing

To enter the practice of civil engineering at the professional level, an individual must be able to demonstrate this level of achievement

16Communication

Develop an awareness ofthe factors involved in effective verbal, written, virtual, and graphical communication.

Discuss the factors involved in effective verbal, written, virtual, and graphical communications.

Demonstrate a commitment to effective verbal, written, virtual, and graphical communications.

Integrate principles from effective communications into work products.

Discriminate between effective and ineffective communications.

(B) (B) (B) (E)

Outcometitle

Level of cognitive achievementa

a Taken from Appendix I

1Knowledge

2Comprehension

3Application

4Analysis

5Synthesis

6Evaluation


16Communication

List the characteristics of effective verbal, written, virtual, and graphical communications.

Describe the characteristics of effective verbal, written, virtual, and graphical communications.

Apply the rules of grammar and composition in verbal and written communications, properly cite sources, and useappropriate graphical standards in preparing engineering drawings.

Organize and delivereffective verbal, written, virtual, and graphical communications.

Plan, compose, and integrate the verbal, written, virtual, and graphical communication of a project to technical and nontechnical audiences.

Evaluate the effectiveness of the integrated verbal, written, virtual, and graphical communication of a project to technical and nontechnical audiences.

(B) (B) (B) (B) (E)

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Table G-4. Example rubric for a two-dimensional outcome—professional and ethical responsibility.

Outcometitle

Level of affective achievement

1Receiving

2Responding

3Valuing

4Organizing conceptualizing

5Characterizing


24Professional

andethical responsibility

Locate and identify the professional and ethical responsibilities of a civil engineer.

Discuss the professional and ethical responsibilities of a civil engineer.

Commit to the standards of professional and ethical responsibility for engineering practice.

Integrate professional and ethical standards for the engineer’s own practice.

Display professional and ethical conduct in engineering practice.

(B) (B) (B) (B) (E)

Level of cognitive achievementa

a Taken from Appendix I.

Outcometitle

1Knowledge

2Comprehension

3Application

4Analysis

5Synthesis

6Evaluation


24Professional

andethical

responsibility

List the professional and ethical responsibilities of a civil engineer.

Explain the professional and ethical responsibilities of a civil engineer.

Apply standards of professional and ethical responsibility to determine an appropriate course of action.

Analyze a situation involving multiple conflicting professional and ethical interests to determine an appropriate course of action.

Synthesize studies and experiences to foster professional and ethical conduct.

Justify a solution to an engineering problem based on professional and ethical standards and assess personal professional and ethical development.

(B) (B) (B) (B) (E) (E)


Commentary on Affective Domain Portions of the

Example Rubrics

Communications

The cognitive domain approach tooutcome 16 (communication) in Table G-3clearly defines, demonstrates theimportance of, and articulates the level ofcognitive development of communicationsfor civil engineers. The level of achievementat the time of licensure in the cognitivedomain is synthesis (level 5 of 6) andrequires the engineer to “plan, compose,and integrate verbal and graphicalcommunications for both technical andnontechnical audiences.” Upon completionof a baccalaureate education, the graduateis expected to “organize and delivereffective verbal, written, virtual, andgraphical communications.” To achieve thislevel, the engineer must complete the lowerlevels of achievement of knowledge,comprehension, and application. Whilethis is necessary, without achievement inthe affective domain, it is, in and of itself,insufficient.

The affective domain relates to theemotional component of learning and, inthe case of communications, achievementis characterized by a degree of acceptance.A student and practitioner should acquirethe intellectual skills needed tocommunicate effectively but unless theengineer internalizes those skills in a waythat drives the engineer to want tocommunicate effectively, the educationaland experience process falls short. Thestudent and engineer must grow to see thateffective communications are necessary foreach and every communication and notonly when being assessed or judged insome explicit manner.

Thus, the student must “demonstrate acommitment to effective verbal, written,virtual, and graphical communications.”This affective domain level of achievementis valuing (affective level 3 of 5). To reachthis level, the student must start with level 1(receiving) by developing an awareness ofthe factors involved in effectivecommunications and responding (affectivelevel 2) by discussing the factors involved ineffective communications. No doubt manystudents will successfully integrateprinciples of effective communications intowork products (affective level 4)—intosenior design reports, for example—butthis level may not be achieved by allgraduates until after graduation. Buildingupon the formal education, the engineer,through experience, continues to developand, by the time of licensure, the engineermust be able to “integrate principles fromeffective communications into workproducts” (affective level 4).

Cognitive development and affectivedevelopment are interrelated. Anindividual would not likely value andintegrate effective communications if theindividual had not achieved theintellectual skills (cognitive development)necessary to understand, organize, andcompose effective communications.

Professional and Ethical Responsibility

To enter the practice of civil engineering atthe professional level, an engineer isexpected to achieve the evaluation level(cognitive level 6) learning for outcome 24(professional and ethical responsibility) inthe cognitive domain as shown in Table G-4.At this highest level of cognitive learning,the civil engineer should be able to “justifya solution to an engineering problembased on professional and ethicalstandards and assess personal professional


and ethical development.” Despite thishigh level of learning, cognitive knowledgeof ethical and professional responsibilityseems lacking in the internalization andvaluing of the knowledge. This is thecrucial—and perhaps central—role ofaffective domain learning for thisoutcome.

Knowledge of professional and ethicalresponsibility should be internalized andvalued in such a way that the civilengineering graduate does “commit to thestandards of professional and ethicalresponsibility for engineering.” This is animportant early step in the development ofa true professional working withinappropriate ethical standards. Further,prior to entering the practice of civilengineering at the professional level, theengineer should have already demonstratedthat he or she has “integrated” thesestandards into professional practice.

Level 5 of the affective domain for thisoutcome—characterizing—may be assessedpositively for an engineer when he or shedoes “display professional and ethicalstandards in engineering practice” on adaily basis. This is the level of achievementexpected for entry into civil engineering atthe professional level.

Development within the affective domainis crucial to the effective practice ofengineering. For example, an engineerwho “integrates professional and ethicalstandards” into his or her practice(affective level 4) may not have knowledge(cognitive level 1) or comprehension(cognitive level 2) of a particular ethical orprofessional standard. However, becauseof his or her high affective level ofachievement, that engineer would,through techniques of lifelong learning orthe assistance of an expert, acquire thenecessary level of achievement in the

cognitive domain to make an appropriatedecision.

Recommendation for Future Work

An affective domain supplement to theBOK2 cognitive descriptions is possibleand desirable. It is illustrated in thisappendix by two examples and provides aricher description of BOK outcomes andachievement levels. Accordingly, theBOK2 Committee recommends thatdepartments, schools, employers, andprofessionals develop these ideas morefully. The committee also recommendsthat ASCE continue this investigationmore fully through CAP3 activity beyondthe present BOK2 development.

Cited Sources

a) Bloom, B. S., M. D. Englehart, E. J.Furst., W. H. Hill, and D. R. Krath-wohl. 1956. The Taxonomy of Educa-tional Objectives, The Classification ofEducational Goals, Handbook I: Cogni-tive Domain. David McKay Company,New York, NY.

b) Krathwohl, D. R., B. S. Bloom, and B.B. Masia. 1964. The Taxonomy of Edu-cational Objectives: The Classificationof Educational Goals. Handbook II:Affective Domain, David McKay Com-pany, New York, NY.

c) Simpson, E. J. 1972. The Classification ofEducational Objectives in the Psychomo-tor Domain, Gryphon House, Washing-ton, DC.

d) http://www.flaguide.org/start/primerfull.php

http://www.flaguide.org/start/primerfull.php

http://www.flaguide.org/start/primerfull.php


e) http://www.acu.edu/academics/adamscenter/services/instructional/taxonomies.html#affective

f) http://classweb.gmu.edu/ndabbagh/Resources/Resources2/krathstax.htm

g) http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/bloom.html

h) Crawley, E. F. 2001. The CDIO Sylla-bus: A Statement of Goals for Under-graduate Engineering Education, MITCDIO Report #1, 2001. Available athttp://www.cdio.org.

i) ASCE Body of Knowledge Commit-tee. 2004. Civil Engineering Body ofKnowledge for the 21st Century, Reston,VA, January. (http://www.asce.org/raisethebar)

j) ASCE Levels of Achievement Subcom-mittee. 2005. Levels of Achievement

Applicable to the Body of KnowledgeRequired for Entry Into the Practice ofCivil Engineering at the ProfessionalLevel, Reston, VA, September. (http://www.asce.org/raisethebar)

k) ASCE Curriculum Committee of theCommittee on Academic Prerequisitesfor Professional Practice. 2006. Devel-opment of Civil Engineering CurriculaSupporting the Body of Knowledge forProfessional Practice. Reston, VA,December.

l) ASCE Task Committee to Plan a Sum-mit on the Future of the Civil Engi-neering Profession. 2007. The Visionfor Civil Engineering in 2025, Reston,VA, ASCE. (A PDF version is available,at no cost, from http://www.asce.org/Vision2025.pdf)

http://www.acu.edu/academics/adamscenter/services/instructional/taxonomies.html#affective



http://classweb.gmu.edu/ndabbagh/Resources/Resources2/krathstax.htm

http://classweb.gmu.edu/ndabbagh/Resources/Resources2/krathstax.htm

http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/bloom.html

http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/bloom.html

http://www.cdio.org





http://www.asce.org/Vision2025.pdf



APPENDIX H

Relationship of ABET, BOK1, and BOK2 Outcomes

A review of the outcomes associated withthe second edition of the ASCE body ofknowledge may suggest that the numberof outcomes has expanded greatly sincethe publication of the first edition,3 andeven more so relative to the outcomeslisted in the ABET General Criteria forBaccalaureate Level Programs.

Tables H-1 and H-2 show that the numberof outcomes has not expanded as much ascasual observation might indicate.Relabeling and disaggregation of theBOK1 outcomes have increased thenumber of outcomes that are presented inthis BOK2 report. However, the clarityand precision with which the outcomesare described have increased. This willassist the “raise the bar” intent of PS 465and its role in the future education andprelicensure experience of civil engineers.The following paragraphs explain theprocess that led to the development of the24 outcomes.

The outcomes approach resulting inBOK1 and BOK2 is the outcomes-basedprocess implemented by EAC/ABET in itsGeneral Criteria for Baccalaureate LevelPrograms. The program criteria developedby the various engineering societiesgenerally follows the format of the GeneralCriteria for Baccalaureate Level Programs.

Section II.D.1 of the ABET AccreditationPolicy and Procedure Manual provides thefollowing useful definitions when usingABET accreditation criteria:

II.D.1.a. Program EducationalObjective—Program educationalobjectives are broad statements thatdescribe the career and professionalaccomplishments that the program ispreparing graduates to achieve.

II.D.1.b. Program Outcomes—Pro-gram outcomes are narrower state-ments that describe what studentsare expected to know and be able todo by the time of graduation. Theserelate to the skills, knowledge, andbehaviors that students acquire intheir matriculation through theprogram.

The 11 outcomes expressed in Criterion3(a) through Criterion 3(k) of the GeneralCriteria for Baccalaureate Level Programs(hereinafter referred to as Criterion 3), areidentified in the first column of Table H-1and the third column of Table H-2. TableH-1 presents the genealogy of theoutcomes from left to right—from theABET criteria, through the BOK1outcomes, to the BOK2 outcomes. TableH-2 is the reverse: the BOK2 outcomes aretraced back to the ABET criteria.


The 11 Criterion 3 outcomes are universalfor all engineering disciplines, and thuscannot be discipline-specific. In order toprovide the specificity necessary todifferentiate civil engineers from, forexample, mechanical engineers orelectrical engineers, ABET provides fordiscipline-specific program criteria. ASCEcontinually reviews and updates the civilengineering program criteria to specificallyaddress the current educational needs ofcivil engineers. The civil engineeringprogram criteria added further outcomesto the 11 from Criterion 3.

In addition to the 11 outcomes included inCriterion 3 and the program criteria,Criterion 5, “Curriculum” also stipulatessome requirements for the engineeringprograms. The Criterion 5 requirementsare not phrased as outcomes. Criterion5(c) states that the professionalcomponent must include:

A general education component thatcomplements the technical content ofthe curriculum and is consistent withthe program and institution objectives.

Concurrently with the initial developmentand launch of the Criterion 3 outcomes,ASCE was investigating the formaleducational requirements for theprofessional practice of civil engineeringin the future, which would become knownas ASCE PS 465. ASCE was somewhatconstrained by the EAC/ABETbaccalaureate-level general criteria and theprogram criteria format that focused onthe current conditions and, therefore,chose to broaden the scope to include avisionary aspect as envisioned by PS 465.This study by ASCE resulted in a series ofreports by various subcommittees of whatis now the ASCE Committee on theAcademic Prerequisites for ProfessionalPractice (CAP3). One of these reports wasthe original BOK report,3 now known as

the BOK1 report, published in January2004.

The outcomes included in the BOK1report subsumed the 11 Criterion 3outcomes and added four more outcomes.These BOK1 outcomes are listed in thesecond column of both Tables H-1 and H-2. Table H-1 presents these outcomes inthe numerical order in which they werepresented in the BOK1 report. Table H-2presents these outcomes as they are relatedto the outcomes of BOK2.

After the BOK1 was published and the civilengineering community digested anddiscussed the contents, three shortcomingsbecame apparent. The first was the levels ofachievement required for the individualoutcomes. The three-level system used inthe BOK1 report was ambiguous andimprecise. This was solved in the BOK2report by utilizing the six levels inherent inthe Bloom’s Taxonomy of the cognitivedomain, as discussed in Appendix F.

The second shortcoming noted was thebroad scope of some of the outcomes,which was a reflection of the Criterion 3format that had been followed. Outcomeshad been grouped together to facilitate theABET assessment process, but in reality,this proved to be a hindrance to flexibilityand understanding and assessment of theoutcomes. For example, as shown in thefirst row of Table H-1, mathematics,science, and engineering are groupedtogether as Criterion 3(a) in the EAC/ABET criteria and in BOK1. In BOK2, thisoutcome was disaggregated into fourdifferent outcomes. The primary reasonfor this disaggregation was that not all ofthe topics included in Criterion 3(a)require the same level of achievement in atypical civil engineering curriculum. Bycreating distinct outcomes, the BOK2Committee concluded that the“mechanics” topic should have a higher


level of achievement than “mathematics”in the typical curriculum. However, ifwithin a particular civil engineeringprogram the faculty decides thatmathematics is more important thanmechanics, they are free to raise the levelof achievement required for mathematics,commensurate with their particularcurriculum.

The third shortcoming that was expressedto the BOK2 Committee by the users ofthe BOK1 report was that some topicswere missing or not adequatelyhighlighted as a separate outcome. Thesetopics are best seen in Table H-2. Forexample, outcome 2 (natural sciences) isnot an EAC/ABET outcome, nor was itidentified in BOK1 as an outcome.However, because BOK2 is looking towardthe future, and the civil engineeringprofession is continually becoming moreinterdisciplinary, the committee believesthat such other sciences as biology maybecome as important, or more important,than chemistry and physics to civilengineers of the future. The otheroutcome that fits into this category isoutcome 17 (public policy).

The other subset of this third shortcomingis the BOK2 outcomes that werementioned in BOK1 but were not elevatedto the level of stand-alone outcomes.These include outcome 12 (risk anduncertainty), outcome 18 (business andpublic administration), and outcome 22(attitudes). These outcomes—shown inthe two tables—were deemed by thecommittee to be sufficiently important to

justify their identification as stand-aloneoutcomes rather than as phrases in one ofthe other outcomes.

The final subset of this third shortcominginvolves the new importance given tohumanities and social sciences byinclusion in the BOK2 of outcome 3(humanities) and outcome 4 (socialsciences). In the BOK1 the generaleducation component of the future civilengineer’s undergraduate education wasdelegated to Criterion 5(c) of thebaccalaureate-level general criteria. Theconsensus of the committee was that, inorder for future civil engineers to realizetheir potential as technological leaders in aglobal community, the humanities andsocial sciences had to be elevated to thestatus of stand-alone outcomes.

As summarized in the tables, there areonly two outcomes that are totally newrelative to BOK1 and the EAC/ABEToutcomes—namely, outcome 2 (naturalsciences) and outcome 17 (public policy).There are an additional three outcomesthat were included in a minor manner inthe BOK1 but are not mentioned in asubstantive manner in the EAC/ABETdocuments. These are outcome 12 (riskand uncertainty), outcome 18 (businessand public administration), and outcome22 (attitudes). In addition, “historicalperspectives” has been included as acomponent of outcome 11 to complementcontemporary issues, which appears asCriterion 3(j) and BOK1 outcome 10,both of which called for “a knowledge ofcontemporary issues.”


Table H-1. From the ABET program criteria outcomes to BOK2 outcomes.a

ABET Outcomesa BOK1 Outcomesb BOK2 Outcomesc

(a) Mathematics, science, engineering

1. Technical core 1. Mathematics2. Natural sciences5. Materials science6. Mechanics

(b)Experiments 2. Experiments 7. Experiments

(c) Design 3. Design 9. Design10. Sustainability

3. Design 12. Risk/uncertainty

(d) Multidisciplinary teams 4. Multidisciplinary teams 21. Teamwork

(e) Engineering problems 5. Engineering problems 8. Problem recognition and solving

(f) Professional and ethical responsibility



(g) Communication 7. Communication 16. Communication

(h) Impact of engineering 8. Impact of engineering 11. Contemporary issues and historical perspectives

(i) Lifelong learning 9. Lifelong learning 23. Lifelong learning

(j) Contemporary issues 10. Contemporary issues 11. Contemporary issues and historical perspectives

19. Globalization

(k)Engineering tools 11. Engineering tools 8. Problem recognition and solving

12. Specialized area related to civil engineering

15. Technical specialization

Program Criteria for Civil and Similarly Named Engineering Programs

13. Project management, construction, and asset management

13. Project management

14. Business and public policy

17. Public policy18. Business and public administration


15. Leadership 20. Leadership22. Attitudes

EAC/ABET Criterion 5d EAC/ABET Criterion 5d 3. Humanities4. Social sciences




a) Short names12

b) Short names of outcomes appearing in the BOK1 report,3 pp. 24–29

c) Short names from this report, Table 1, page 16

d) General education component

a General relationships are presented, not one-to-one mapping.


Table H-2. From the BOK2 outcomes to the ABET program criteria outcomes.a

BOK2 Outcomesa BOK1 Outcomesb ABET Outcomesc

1. Mathematics 1. Technical core (a) Mathematics, science, engineering

2. Natural sciences 1. Technical core (a) Mathematics, science, engineering

3. HumanitiesEAC/ABET Criterion 5d EAC/ABET Criterion 5d

4. Social sciences

5. Materials science 1. Technical core (a) Mathematics, science, engineering

6. Mechanics 1. Technical core (a) Mathematics, science, engineering

7. Experiments 2. Experiments (b)Experiments

8. Problem recognition and solving

5. Engineering problems (e) Engineering problems

9. Design 3. Design (c) Design

10. Sustainability 3. Design (c) Design

11. Contemporary issues and historical perspectives

8. Impact of engineering10. Contemporary issues

(h)Impact of engineering(j) Contemporary issues

12. Risk/uncertainty 3. Design

13. Project management 13. Project management, construction, and asset management





15. Technical specialization 12. Specialized area related to civil engineering

16. Communication 7. Communication (g) Communication

17. Public policy

18. Business and public administration

14. Business and public policy

19. Globalization 10. Contemporary issues (j) Contemporary issues

20. Leadership 15. Leadership Program Criteria for Civil and Similarly Named Engineering Programs

21. Teamwork 4. Multidisciplinary teams (d)Multidisciplinary teams

22. Attitudes 15. Leadership

23. Lifelong learning 9. Lifelong learning (i) Lifelong learning



(f) Professional and ethical responsibility

a) Short names from this report, Table 1, page 16

b) Short names of outcomes appearing in the BOK1 report,3 Figure 5, pp. 24–29

c) Short names12

d) General education component

a General relationships are presented, not one-to-one mapping.


APPENDIX I

Body of Knowledge Outcome Rubric

Building on the recommendations of the Levels of Achievement Subcommittee,9 the BOK2Committee developed the outcome rubric.14 The rubric communicates the following BOKcharacteristics:

■ The 24 outcomes, categorized as foundational, technical, and professional and, withineach category, organized in approximate pedagogical order

■ The level of achievement that an individual must demonstrate for each outcome to enterthe practice of civil engineering at the professional level

■ For each outcome the portion to be fulfilled through the bachelor’s degree, the portionto be fulfilled through the master’s degree or equivalent (approximately 30 semestercredits of acceptable graduate-level or upper-level undergraduate courses in a special-ized technical area and/or professional practice area related to civil engineering), andthe portion to be fulfilled through prelicensure experience

Key:

B Portion of the BOK fulfilled through the bachelor’s degree

M/30 Portion of the BOK fulfilled through the master’s degree or the equivalent

E Portion of the BOK fulfilled through prelicensure experience

Achievement levels beyond minimums needed to enter professional practice

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Outcometitle

Level of cognitive achievement

1Knowledge

2Comprehension

3Application

4Analysis

5Synthesis

6Evaluation


Foundational Outcomes

1Mathematics

Define key factual information related to mathematics through differential equations.

Explain key concepts and problem-solving processes in mathematics through differential equations.

Solve problems in mathematics through differential equations and apply this knowledge to the solution of engineering problems.

Analyze a complex problem to determine the relevant mathematical principles and then apply that knowledge to solve the problem.

Create new knowledge in mathematics.

Evaluate the validity of newly created knowledge in mathematics.

(B) (B) (B)

2Natural sciences

Define key factual information related to calculus-based physics, chemistry, and one additional area of natural science.

Explain key concepts and problem-solving processes in calculus-based physics, chemistry, and one additional area of natural science.

Solve problems in calculus-based physics, chemistry, and one additional area of natural science and apply this knowledge to the solution of engineering problems.

Analyze complex problems to determine the relevant physics, chemistry, and/or other areas of natural science principles and then apply that knowledge to solve the problem.

Create new knowledge in physics, chemistry, and/or others areas of natural science.

Evaluate the validity of newly created knowledge in physics, chemistry, and/or others areas of natural science.

(B) (B) (B)

3Humanities

Define key factual information from more than one area of the humanities.

Explain key concepts from at least one area of the humanities and their relationship to civil engineering problems and solutions.

Demonstrate theimportance of the humanities in the professional practice of engineering

Analyze a complex problem informed by issues raised in the humanities and apply these considerations in the development of a solution to the problem.

Create new knowledge in humanities.

Evaluate the validity of newly created knowledge in humanities.

(B) (B) (B)

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4Social sciences

Define key factual information from more than one area of social sciences.

Explain key concepts from at least one area of the social sciences and their relationship to civil engineering problems and solutions.

Demonstrate the incorporation of social sciences knowledge into the professional practice of engineering.

Analyze a complex problem incorporating social science knowledge and then apply that knowledge in the development of a solution to the problem.

Create new knowledge in social sciences.

Evaluate the validity of newly created knowledge in social sciences.

(B) (B) (B)

Technical Outcomes

5Materials science

Define key factual information related to materials science within the context of civil engineering.

Explain key concepts and problem-solving processes in materials science within the context of civil engineering.

Use knowledge of materials science to solve problems appropriate to civil engineering.

Analyze a complex problem to determine the relevant materials science principles, and then apply that knowledge to solve the problem.

Create new knowledge in materials science.

Evaluate the validity of newly created knowledge in materials science.

(B) (B) (B)

6Mechanics

Define key factual information related to solid and fluid mechanics.

Explain key concepts and problem-solving processes in solid and fluid mechanics.

Solve problems in solid and fluid mechanics.

Analyze and solve problems in solid and fluid mechanics.

Create new knowledge in mechanics.

Evaluate the validity of newly created knowledge in mechanics.

(B) (B) (B) (B)

Outcometitle


1Knowledge

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3Application

4Analysis

5Synthesis

6Evaluation

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7Experiments

Identify the procedures and equipment necessary to conduct civil engineering experiments in more than one of the technical areas of civil engineering.

Explain the purpose, procedures, equipment,and practical applications of experiments spanning more than one of the technical areas of civil engineering.

Conduct experiments in one or across more than one of the technical areas of civil engineering according to established procedures and report the results.

Analyze the results of experiments and evaluate the accuracy of the results within the known boundaries of the tests and materials in or across more than one of the technical areas of civil engineering.

Specify an experiment to meet a need, conduct the experiment, and analyze and explain the resulting data.

Evaluate the effectiveness of a designed experiment in meeting an ill-defined real-world need.

(B) (B) (B) (B) (M/30)

8Problem

recognition and solving

Identify key factual information related to engineering problem recognition, problem solving, and applicableengineering techniques and tools.

Explain key concepts related to problem recognition, problem articulation, and problem-solving processes, and how engineering techniques and tools are applied to solve problems.

Develop problem statements and solvewell-defined fundamental civil engineering problems by applyingappropriate techniques and tools.

Formulate and solve an ill-defined engineering problem appropriate to civil engineering by selecting and applying appropriate techniques and tools.

Synthesize the solution to an ill-defined engineering problem into a broader context that may include public policy, social impact, or business objectives.

Compare the initial and final problem statements, the effectiveness of alternative techniques and tools, and evaluate the effectiveness of the solution.

(B) (B) (B) (M/30)

Outcometitle


1Knowledge

2Comprehension

3Application

4Analysis

5Synthesis

6Evaluation

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9Design

Define engineering design; list the major steps in the engineering design process; and listconstraints that affect the process and products of engineering design.

Describe the engineering design process; explainhow real-world constraints affect the process and products of engineering design.

Apply the design process to meet a well-defined set of requirements and constraints.

Analyze a system or process to determine requirements and constraints.

Design a system or process to meet desired needs within such realistic constraints as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, constructability, and sustainability.

Evaluate the design of a complex system, component, or process and assesscompliance with customary standards of practice, user’s and project’s needs, and relevant constraints.

(B) (B) (B) (B) (B) (E)

10Sustainability

Define key aspects of sustainability relative to engineering phenomena, society at large, and its dependence on natural resources; and relative to the ethical obligation of the professional engineer.

Explain key properties of sustainability, and their scientific bases, as they pertain to engineered works and services.

Apply the principles of sustainability to the design of traditional and emergent engineering systems.

Analyze systems of engineered works, whether traditional or emergent, for sustainableperformance.

Design a complex system, process, or project to perform sustainably. Developnew, more sustainable technology. Createnew knowledge or forms of analysis in areas in which scientific knowledge limits sustainable design.

Evaluate the sustainability of complex systems, whether proposed or existing.

(B) (B) (B) (E)

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3Application

4Analysis

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6Evaluation

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11Contemporary

issues and historical

perspectives

Identify economic, environmental, political, societal, and historical aspects in engineering.

Describe the influence of historical and contemporary issues on the identification, formulation, and solution of engineering problems and describe the influence of engineering solutions on the economy, environment, political landscape, and society.

Drawing upon a broad education, explainthe impact of historical and contemporary issues on the identification, formulation, and solution of engineering problems and explainthe impact of engineering solutions on the economy, environment, political landscape, and society.

Analyze the impact of historical and contemporary issues on the identification, formulation, and solution of engineering problems and analyzethe impact of engineering solutions on the economy, environment, political landscape, and society.

Synthesize the impacts and relationships among engineering and economic, environmental, political, societal, and historical issues.

Evaluate the impacts and relationships among engineering and historical, contemporary, and emerging issues.

(B) (B) (B) (E)

12Risk and

uncertainty

Recognizeuncertainties in data and knowledge and list those relevant to engineering design.

Distinguish between uncertainties that are data-based and those that are knowledge-based and explain the significance of those uncertainties on the performance and safety of an engineering system.

Apply the principles of probability and statistics to solveproblems containing uncertainties.

Analyze the loading and capacity, and the effects of their respective uncertainties, for a well-defined design and illustrate the underlying probability of failure (or nonperformance) for a specified failure mode.

Develop criteria (such as required safety factors) for the ill-defined design of an engineered system within an acceptable risk measure.

Appraise a multicomponent system and evaluate its quantitative risk measure, taking into account the occurrence probability of an adverse event and its potential consequences caused by failure.

(B) (B) (B) (E)

Outcometitle


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13Project

management

List key management principles.

Explain what a project is and the key aspects of project management.

Develop solutions to well-defined project management problems.

Formulatedocuments to be incorporated into the project plan.

Create project plans. Evaluate the effectiveness of a project plan.

(B) (B) (B) (E)

14Breadth in civil

engineering areas

Define key factual information related to at least four technical areas appropriate to civil engineering.

Explain key concepts and problem-solving processes in at least four technical areas appropriate to civil engineering.

Solve problems in or across at least four technical areas appropriate to civil engineering.

Analyze and solve well-defined engineering problems in at least four technical areas appropriate to civil engineering.

Create new knowledge that spans more than one technical area appropriate to civil engineering.

Evaluate the validity of newly created knowledge that spans more than one technical area appropriate to civil engineering.

(B) (B) (B) (B)

15Technical

specialization

Define key aspects of advanced technical specialization appropriate to civil engineering.

Explain key concepts and problem-solving processes in a traditional or emerging specialized technical area appropriate to civil engineering.

Apply specialized tools, technology, or technologies to solvesimple problems in atraditional or emerging specialized technical area of civil engineering.

Analyze a complex system or process in a traditional or emerging specialized technical area appropriate to civil engineering.

Design a complex system or process or create new knowledge or technologies in a traditional or emerging advanced specialized technical area appropriate to civil engineering.

Evaluate the design of a complex system or process, orevaluate the validity of newly created knowledge or technologies in a traditional or emerging advanced specialized technical area appropriate to civil engineering.

(B) (M/30) (M/30) (M/30) (M/30) (E)

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Professional Outcomes

16Communication

List thecharacteristics of effective verbal, written, virtual, and graphical communications.

Describe the characteristics of effective verbal, written, virtual, and graphical communications.

Apply the rules of grammar and composition in verbal and written communications, properly cite sources, and use appropriate graphical standards in preparing engineering drawings.

Organize and deliver effective verbal, written, virtual, and graphical communications.

Plan, compose, and integrate the verbal, written, virtual, and graphical communication of a project to technical and nontechnical audiences.

Evaluate the effectiveness of the integrated verbal, written, virtual, and graphical communication of a project to technical and nontechnical audiences.

(B) (B) (B) (B) (E)

17Public policy

Describe key factual information related to public policy.

Discuss and explain key concepts and processes involved in public policy.

Apply public policy process techniques to simple public policy problems related to civil engineering works.

Analyze real-world public policy problems on civil engineering projects.

Develop public policy recommen-dations, and create or adapt a system to a real-world situation on civil engineering work programs.

Evaluate the effectiveness of apublic policy in a complex, real-world situation associated with large-scale civil engineering initiatives.

(B) (B) (E)

18Business and

publicadministration

List key factual information related to business and publicadministration.

Explain key concepts and processes used in business and public administration.

Apply business and public administration concepts and processes.

Analyze real-world problems involving business or public administration.

Create or adapt a system of business or public administration to meet a real-world need.

Evaluate a system of business or public administration in a complex, real-world situation.

(B) (B) (E)

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19Globalization

Describeglobalization processes and their impact on professional practice across cultures, languages, or countries.

Explain global issues related to professional practice, infrastructure, environment, and service populations (as they arise across cultures, languages, or countries).

Organize, formulate, andsolve engineering problems within a global context.

Analyze engineering works and services in order to function at a basic level in a global context.

Develop criteria and guidelines to address global issues.

Evaluate different criteria and guidelines in addressing global issues.

(B) (B) (B) (E)

20Leadership

Define leadership and the role of a leader; list leadership principles and attitudes.

Explain the role of a leader and leadership principles and attitudes.

Apply leadership principles to direct the efforts of a small, homogenous group.

Organize and directthe efforts of a group.

Create a new organization to accomplish a complex task.

Evaluate the leadership of an organization.

(B) (B) (B) (E)

21Teamwork

Define and list the key characteristics of effective intradisciplinary and multidisciplinary teams.

Explain the factors affecting the ability of intradisciplinary and multidisciplinary teams to function effectively.

Function effectively as a member of an intradisciplinary team.

Function effectively as a member of a multidisciplinary team.

Organize an intradisciplinary or multidisciplinary team.

Evaluate the composition, organization, and performance of an intradisciplinary or multidisciplinary team.

(B) (B) (B) (E)

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22Attitudes

List attitudes supportive of the professional practice of civil engineering.

Explain attitudes supportive of the professional practice of civil engineering.

Demonstrateattitudes supportive of the professional practice of civil engineering.

Analyze a complex task to determine which attitudes are most conducive to its effective accomplishment.

Create an organizational structure that maintains/fosters the development of attitudes conducive to task accomplishment.

Evaluate the attitudes of key members of an organization and assess the effect of their attitudes on task accomplishment.

(B) (B) (E)

23Lifelong learning

Define lifelong learning.

Explain the need for lifelong learning and describe the skills required of a lifelong learner.

Demonstrate the ability for self-directed learning.

Identify additional knowledge, skills, and attitudes appropriate for professional practice.

Plan and executethe acquisition of required expertise appropriate for professional practice.

Self-assess learning processes and evaluate those processes in light of competing and complex real-world alternatives.

(B) (B) (B) (E) (E)

24Professional and

ethical responsibility

List the professional and ethical responsibilities of a civil engineer.

Explain the professional and ethical responsibilities of a civil engineer.

Apply standards of professional and ethical responsibility to determine an appropriate course of action.

Analyze a situation involving multiple conflicting professional and ethical interests to determine an appropriate course of action.

Synthesize studiesand experiences to foster professional and ethical conduct.

Justify a solution to an engineering problem based on professional and ethical standards and assess personal professional and ethical development.

(B) (B) (B) (B) (E) (E)

Outcometitle


1Knowledge

2Comprehension

3Application

4Analysis

5Synthesis

6Evaluation


APPENDIX J

Explanations of Outcomes

Introduction

The BOK2 Committee created thefollowing explanations for each of the 24outcomes. These explanations aredesigned to help faculty who teachaspiring civil engineers and practitionerswho supervise, coach, mentor, educate,train, and inspire prelicensure civilengineers. The explanations will also aidcivil engineering students and engineerinterns who are preparing for entry intothe professional practice of civilengineering. To reiterate, explanations areto be helpful—they are not prescriptive.Outcomes paired with explanationsprovide what the committee views as adesirable deliverable for stakeholders;Bloom’s Taxonomy-based outcomesrelying on active verbs, with each outcomesupported by a descriptive and illustrativeexplanation.

Outcomes are viewed as applicable over along period—years, for example. Incontrast, some illustrative topicsmentioned in the explanations will beephemeral, requiring modification inresponse to stakeholder needs,technological advances, and other changes.

The format used for the explanationsenables the reader to readily move from

one outcome to another because formatsare identical. The format for eachexplanation begins with an overview thatpresents the rationale for the outcome anddefines terms, as needed.

The overview is followed by asection—denoted by “B”—that states theminimum level of achievement to befulfilled through the bachelor’s degree.The level of achievement is taken directlyfrom the rubric. An L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, orL6 is included to reiterate, respectively, thefollowing Bloom’s Taxonomy level ofachievement that is to be accomplished:knowledge, comprehension, application,analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. The“B” section goes on to offer ideas oncurricular and, in some cases, co-curricular and extracurricular ways toenable the aspiring civil engineer to reachthe required levels of achievement.

As appropriate for the outcome, the “B”section is followed by an “M/30” (master’sdegree or equivalent) and/or an “E”(experience) section. As with the “B”section, these sections offer ideas on howan individual, within his or her courses orduring his or her prelicensure experience,can attain the necessary minimum levelsof achievement.


FOUNDATIONAL OUTCOMES

Outcome 1: Mathematics

Overview

Mathematics deals with the science ofstructure, order, and relation that hasevolved from counting, measuring, anddescribing the shapes of objects. It useslogical reasoning and quantitativecalculation. Since the 17th centurymathematics has been an indispensableadjunct to the physical sciences andtechnology and is considered theunderlying language of science. Theprincipal branches of mathematicsrelevant to civil engineering are algebra,analysis, arithmetic, geometry, calculus,numerical analysis, optimization,probability, set theory, statistics, andtrigonometry.

All areas of civil engineering rely onmathematics for the performance ofquantitative analysis of engineeringsystems. A technical core of knowledgeand breadth of coverage in mathematics,and the ability to apply it to solveengineering problems, are essential skillsfor civil engineers.

B: Solve problems in mathematicsthrough differential equations and applythis knowledge to the solution ofengineering problems. (L3) Themathematics required for civil engineeringpractice must be learned at theundergraduate level and should preparestudents for subsequent courses inengineering curricula.



Outcome 2: Natural Sciences

Overview

Underlying the professional role of thecivil engineer as the master integrator andtechnical leader is a firm foundation in thenatural sciences. Physics and chemistryare two disciplines of the natural sciencesthat have historically served as basicfoundations. Additional disciplines ofnatural science are also assuming strongerroles within civil engineering.

Physics is concerned with understandingthe structure of the natural world andexplaining natural phenomena in afundamental way in terms of elementaryprinciples and laws. The fundamentals ofphysics are mechanics and field theory.Mechanics is concerned with theequilibrium and motion of particles orbodies under the action of given forces.The physics of fields encompasses theorigin, nature, and properties ofgravitational, electromagnetic, nuclear,and other force fields. Taken together,mechanics and field theory constitute themost fundamental approach to anunderstanding of natural phenomena thatscience offers. Physics is characterized byaccurate instrumentation, precision ofmeasurement, and the expression of itsresults in mathematical terms. Many areasof civil engineering rely on physics forunderstanding the underlying governingprinciples and for obtaining solutions toproblems. A technical core of knowledgeand breadth of coverage in physics, and

the ability to apply it to solve engineeringproblems, are essential for civil engineers.

Chemistry is the science that deals withthe properties, composition, and structureof substances (elements and compounds),the reactions and transformations theyundergo, and the energy released orabsorbed during those processes.Chemistry is concerned with atoms asbuilding blocks, everything in the materialworld, and all living things. Branches ofchemistry include inorganic, organic,physical, and analytical chemistry;biochemistry; electrochemistry; andgeochemistry. Some areas of civilengineering—especially environmentalengineering and construction materials—rely on chemistry for explainingphenomena and obtaining solutions toproblems. A technical core of knowledgeand breadth of coverage in chemistry isnecessary for individuals to solve relatedproblems in civil and environmentalengineering.

Additional breadth in such natural sciencedisciplines as biology, ecology, geology/geomorphology, et cetera is required toprepare the civil engineer of the future.Increased exposure to or emphasis onbiological systems, ecology, sustainability,and nanotechnology is expected to occur inthe 21st century. Civil engineers shouldhave the basic scientific literacy that willenable them to be conversant with technicalissues pertaining to environmental systems,


public health and safety, durability ofconstruction materials, and other suchsubjects. A technical core of knowledge andbreadth of coverage in an area of scienceother than mathematics, physics, andchemistry is required to prepare future civilengineers.

B: Solve problems in calculus-basedphysics, chemistry, and one additional

area of natural science and apply thisknowledge to the solution of engineeringproblems. (L3) The physics, chemistry,and breadth in natural sciences requiredfor civil engineering practice must belearned at the undergraduate level andshould prepare students for subsequentcourses in engineering and engineeringpractice.



Outcome 3: Humanities

Overview1

To be effective, professional civil engineersmust be critical thinkers and possess theability to raise vital questions andproblems and then formulate them clearlyand appropriately. They must gather andassess relevant information, use abstractideas to interpret the informationeffectively, and come to well-reasonedconclusions and solutions, testing themagainst relevant criteria and standards.Professional civil engineers must thinkopenmindedly within alternative systemsof thought, recognizing and assessing, asneed be, the assumptions, implications,and practical consequences of their work.They must be informed not only bymathematics and the natural and socialsciences, but by the humanities—thedisciplines that study the human aspectsof the world, including philosophy,history, literature, the visual andperforming arts, language, and religion.Humanities are academic disciplines thatuse critical or speculative methods tostudy the human condition. This outcomeis intended to guide students tounderstand the importance of thehumanities on the professional practice ofengineering. This understanding is critical

to the professional delivery of service topeople.

The formal education process sets thestage for professional achievement.Engineering practice often includesaesthetic, ethical, and historicalconsiderations and other elements of thehumanities. Therefore, engineers must beable to recognize and incorporate suchhuman elements into the developmentand evaluation of solutions to engineeringand societal problems. Continueddevelopment of professional competencemust come from lifelong learning,mentorship from senior engineers,practical experience, and involvement inthe local community grounded on a firmfoundation in, and recognition of theimportance of, the humanities.

B: Demonstrate the importance of thehumanities in the professional practice ofengineering. (L3) The formal educationprocess at the undergraduate level mustinclude the humanities in order for thestudent to develop an appreciation of theirimportance in developing engineeringsolutions. All students cannot study all ofthe humanities; rather, students first mustbe able to recognize and identify factualinformation from more than one area ofthe humanities. Students should be able toexplain concepts in at least one area ofhumanities in order for them to explainhow this can inform and impact theirengineering decisions. Students should be

1. See Appendix K for additional ideas and informa-tion about the humanities.


able to apply their knowledge of thehumanities by demonstrating theimportance of the humanities on theprofessional practice of engineering.Examples of opportunities to demonstratethis ability include incorporating

application of philosophy intoengineering ethics, the visual arts into theaesthetics of structures, language into theglobalization of engineering, and historyin the study of the past accomplishmentsof society through civil engineering.



Outcome 4: Social Sciences

Overview1

Engineering services are delivered tosociety through social mechanisms andinstitutions. The social sciences are thesystematic study of these socialphenomena. Example disciplines includeeconomics, political science, sociology,and psychology. (Note that some studiesin history are categorized as socialsciences.) Social sciences are scientific,quantitative, analytical, and data-drivenand use the scientific method, includingboth qualitative and quantitative methods.Professional civil engineers must workwithin a social framework; understandingit is foundational to effectiveprofessionalism, alongside the three otherfoundational areas—mathematics, thenatural sciences, and the humanities. Thisoutcome is intended to guide students tomake connections between their technicaleducation and their education in the socialsciences. Effective delivery of professionalservice depends critically upon theseconnections.

The formal education process sets thestage for individuals to become effectiveprofessionals. In practice, virtually allprojects and design work involve varyingdegrees of integration of social sciencesknowledge, including the economic and

sociopolitical aspects. Engineers must beable to recognize and incorporate theseconsiderations into the development,delivery, and evaluation of solutions toengineering problems. Continueddevelopment of professional competencemust come from lifelong learning,mentorship from senior engineers, andpractical experience, grounded on a firmfoundation in, and recognition of, theimportance of the social sciences andadvances in them.

B: Demonstrate the incorporation ofsocial sciences knowledge into theprofessional practice of engineering. (L3)The formal education process at theundergraduate level must include anintroduction to social sciences in order forthe student to develop an appreciation oftheir importance in the development ofengineering solutions. All students cannotmaster all of the social sciences; rather,students first must be able to recognizeand identify factual information in morethan one area of social science. Studentsshould be able to explain the concepts inat least one area of social science in orderto explain how this area of social sciencecan inform their engineering decisions.Students should be able to apply theirknowledge of social sciences bydemonstrating its incorporation into theprofessional practice of engineering.Examples of knowledge from socialsciences that might be applied inengineering include economic, safety and

1. See Appendix K for additional ideas and informa-tion about the social sciences.


security, or environmental considerations.Examples of opportunities to demonstratethis ability include incorporating theapplication of social sciences in such

engineering courses as transportation,environmental engineering, capstone, ormajor design experience.


TECHNICAL OUTCOMES

Outcome 5: Materials Science

Overview

Civil engineering includes elements ofmaterials science. Construction materialswith broad applications in civilengineering include such ceramics asPortland cement concrete and hot mixasphalt concrete, such metals as steel andaluminum, and polymers and fibers. Anunderstanding of materials science also isrequired for the treatment of hazardouswastes utilizing membranes and filtration.Infrastructure often requires repair,rehabilitation, or replacement due todegradation of materials. The civilengineer is responsible for specifyingappropriate materials. The civil engineershould have knowledge of how materialssystems interact with the environment so

that durable materials that can withstandaggressive environments can be specifiedas needed. This includes the understandingof materials at the macroscopic andmicroscopic levels.

A technical core of knowledge and breadthof coverage in materials science appropriateto civil engineering is necessary forindividuals to solve a variety of civilengineering problems.

B: Use knowledge of materials science tosolve problems appropriate to civilengineering. (L3) The materials sciencerequired for civil engineering practice mustbe learned at the undergraduate level andshould prepare students for subsequentcourses in engineering curricula.


TECHNICAL OUTCOMES

Outcome 6: Mechanics

Overview

In its original sense, mechanics refers tothe study of the behavior of systems underthe action of forces. Mechanics issubdivided according to the types ofsystems and phenomena involved. Animportant distinction is based on the sizeof the system. The Newtonian laws ofclassical mechanics can adequatelydescribe those systems that are largeenough, including those encountered inmost civil engineering areas. On the otherhand, the concepts and mathematicalmethods of quantum mechanics must beemployed to describe the behavior of suchmicroscopic systems as molecules, atoms,and nuclei. Mechanics may also beclassified as nonrelativistic or relativistic,the latter applying to systems withmaterial velocities comparable to thevelocity of light. This distinction pertainsto both classical and quantum mechanics.Finally, statistical mechanics uses themethods of statistics for both classical andquantum systems containing very large

numbers of similar subsystems to obtaintheir large-scale properties.

Mechanics in civil engineering encompassesthe mechanics of continuous andparticulate solids subjected to load, and themechanics of fluid flow through pipes,channels, and porous media. Areas of civilengineering that rely heavily on mechanicsare structural engineering, geotechnicalengineering, pavement engineering, andwater resource systems.

A technical core of knowledge and breadthof coverage in solid and fluid mechanics,and the ability to apply it to solveengineering problems, are essential forcivil engineers.

B: Analyze and solve problems in solidand fluid mechanics. (L4) The mechanicsrequired for civil engineering practicemust be learned at the undergraduate leveland should prepare students forsubsequent courses in engineeringcurricula.


TECHNICAL OUTCOMES

Outcome 7: Experiments

Overview

Experiment can be defined as “anoperation or procedure carried out undercontrolled conditions in order to discoveran unknown effect or law, to test orestablish a hypothesis, or to illustrate aknown law.” 46

Civil engineers frequently design andconduct field and laboratory studies,gather data, create numerical simulationsand other models, and then analyze andinterpret the results. The licensed civilengineer should be able to develop andconduct experiments and analyze resultsof experiments that may incorporate orspan more than one current and/oremerging technical area appropriate tocivil engineering. Inquiry-based learningemphasizing the method of discoverydevelops critical thinking skills necessaryin learning the experimental process.Critical thinking also helps developengineering judgment, necessary ininterpreting and analyzing results ofexperiments.

B: Analyze the results of experiments andevaluate the accuracy of the results withinthe known boundaries of the tests andmaterials in or across more than one ofthe technical areas of civil engineering.

(L4) Individuals should be familiar withthe purpose, procedures, equipment, andpractical applications of experimentsspanning more than one of the technicalareas of civil engineering. They should beable to conduct experiments, reportresults, and analyze results in accordancewith the applicable standards in or acrossmore than one technical area. In thiscontext, experiments may include fieldand laboratory studies, virtualexperiments, and numerical simulations.

M/30: Specify an experiment to meet aneed, conduct the experiment, andanalyze and explain the resulting data.(L5) The post baccalaureate experiencerelated to experiments should prepareindividuals to formulate, conduct, andanalyze experiments on the basis of aspecific need. This requires in-depthfamiliarity with the need as well as withthe available and possible experimentaltools. Individuals at this level are alsoexpected to be familiar with thelimitations of the experimental methodswith which they deal. As at thebaccalaureate level, experiments in thiscontext may include field and laboratorystudies, virtual experiments, andnumerical simulations.


TECHNICAL OUTCOMES

Outcome 8: Problem Recognition and Solving

Overview

Civil engineering problem solving consistsof identifying engineering problems,obtaining background knowledge,understanding existing requirements and/or constraints, articulating the problemthrough technical communication,formulating alternative solutions—bothroutine and creative—and recommendingfeasible solutions.

The approach to problem solving shoulduse a combination of criteria employingcritical thinking and the desire to discover.The knowledge and abilities included inthis outcome should not be limited tothose necessary to identify and solveexisting problems, but extended to includethose required to anticipate opportunitiesin which knowledge and abilities can beapplied for the common good. Problemrecognition and problem solving arelearning processes in which various toolsenhance these learning processes and aidin discovering appropriate solutions.

Appropriate techniques and tools—including information technology,contemporary analysis and design methods,and design codes and standards tocomplement knowledge of fundamentalconcepts—are required to solve engineeringproblems. Problem solving also involves theability to select the appropriate tools as a

method to promote or increase the futurelearning ability of individuals.

B: Develop problem statements and solvewell-defined fundamental civil engineeringproblems by applying appropriate tech-niques and tools. (L3) Civil engineers shouldbe familiar with factual information relatedto engineering problem recognition andproblem-solving processes. Additionally, civilengineers should be able to explain keyconcepts related to engineering problemrecognition, articulation, and solving.Engineering problem solving tools should betaught with appropriate fundamentalengineering technologies. These tools rangefrom the simple to the complex and anunderstanding of the quality of the dataobtained from or required for the use of theengineering tools is necessary to define thecapability and/or value of each tool.

M/30: Formulate and solve an ill-definedengineering problem appropriate to civilengineering by selecting and applyingappropriate techniques and tools. (L4)Prior to licensing, civil engineers must beable to analyze and solve engineeringproblems with poorly defined orincomplete parameters. Advanced levelproblem-solving knowledge and abilitiesacquired through post baccalaureateeducation are required. At this level, civilengineers are expected to anticipate and


identify problems and opportunities invarious systems and environments.

The engineering tools studied at this leveland above will most likely be in specializedareas of professional practice. These toolsusually require a sufficient fundamentalknowledge of various technologies and

technical breadth in order to select andorganize their use for problem solving orintegration into design problems. Civilengineers must also comprehend thelimitations of the selected tools and/orcomputer model simulations.


TECHNICAL OUTCOMES

Outcome 9: Design

Overview

Design is an iterative process that is oftencreative and involves discovery and theacquisition of knowledge. Such activities asproblem definition, the selection ordevelopment of design options, analysis,detailed design, performance prediction,implementation, observation, and testingare parts of the engineering design process.

Design problems are often ill defined. Thusdefining the scope and design objectivesand identifying the constraints governing aparticular problem are essential to thedesign process. The design process is open-ended and involves a number of likelycorrect solutions, including innovativeapproaches. Thus successful designrequires critical thinking, an appreciationof the uncertainties involved, and the useof engineering judgment. Suchconsiderations as risk assessment, societaland environmental impact, standards,codes, regulations, safety, security,sustainability, constructability, andoperability are integrated at various stagesof the design process.

A breadth of technical knowledge inseveral recognized and/or emerging areasof the civil engineering discipline isnecessary for understanding therelationship and interaction of differentelements in a designed system orenvironment.

B: Design a system or process to meetdesired needs within such realisticconstraints as economic, environmental,social, political, ethical, health and safety,constructability, and sustainability. (L5)The essence of engineering is the iterativeprocess of designing, predictingperformance, building, and testing.4 TheNational Academy of Engineeringrecommends that this process beintroduced to students from the “earlieststages of the curriculum, including thefirst year.”4 Fostering creative knowledgein students prepares them to handle afuture of increasing complexity that relieson a multidisciplinary approach toproblems.47 The design component in thebaccalaureate curriculum should involveboth analysis and synthesis.

E: Evaluate the design of a complexsystem, component, or process and assesscompliance with customary standards ofpractice, user’s and project’s needs, andrelevant constraints. (L6) The postbaccalaureate engineering designexperience should include opportunitiesto employ many or all aspects of thedesign process, including problemdefinition, project planning, scoping, thedesign objective, the development ofdesign options, standards, codes,economy, safety, constructability,operability, sustainability, and designevaluation. Experience at this level shouldinclude familiarity with interactionsbetween planning, design, construction,


and operations and should take intoaccount design life-cycle assessment. Therole of peer and senior review and of the

design verification process in ensuringsuccessful design should be emphasized toindividuals at this level.


TECHNICAL OUTCOMES

Outcome 10: Sustainability

Overview1

The 21st-century civil engineer mustdemonstrate an ability to analyze thesustainability of engineered systems—andof the natural resource base on which theydepend—and design accordingly.

ASCE embraced sustainability as anethical obligation in 1996,43 and policystatements 41848 and 51749 point to theleadership role that civil engineers mustplay in sustainable development. The 2006ASCE Summit on the Future of CivilEngineering1 called for renewedprofessional commitment to stewardshipof natural resources and the environment.Knowledge of the principles ofsustainability,50,51,52 and their expressionin engineering practice, is required of allcivil engineers.

There are social, economic, and physical53

aspects of sustainability. The last includesboth natural resources and theenvironment. Technology affects all three,and a broad, integrative understanding isnecessary in support of the public interest.Beyond that, special competence isrequired in the scientific understanding ofnatural resources and the environment,which are the foundation of all humanactivity, and the integration of thisknowledge into practical designs that

support and sustain human developmentis essential. Vest54 referred to this as theprimary systems problem facing the 21st-century engineer.

The actual life of an engineered work mayextend well beyond the design life; and theactual outcomes may be morecomprehensive than the initial designintentions. The burden of the engineer isto address sustainability in this longer andwider framework.

Individual projects make separate claimson the collective future; ultimately theycannot be considered in isolation. Acommitment to sustainable engineeringimplies a commitment by the professionto the resolution of the cumulative effectsof individual projects. Ignoringcumulative effects can lead to overallfailure. This concern must be expressed bythe profession generally, and affect itsinteraction with civil society.

B: Apply the principles of sustainability tothe design of traditional and emergentengineering systems. (L3) Implied is masteryof the scientific understanding of naturalresources and the environment and theethical obligation to relate these sustainablyto the public interest. This mastery must reston a wide educational base,142 supportingtwo-way communication with the servicepopulation about the desirability ofsustainability and its scientific and technicalpossibilities.1. See Appendix L for additional ideas and informa-

tion about sustainability.


E: Analyze systems of engineered works,whether traditional or emergent, forsustainable performance. (L4) Analysisassumes a scientific, systems-levelintegration and evaluation of social,economic, and physical factors—the threeaspects of sustainability. Achievement atthis level requires the “B” achievement

described above to be advanced in practiceto the analysis level through structuredexperience and in synergy with other realworks, built or planned. Successfulprogression of cognitive development inthis experiential phase must bedemonstrable.


TECHNICAL OUTCOMES

Outcome 11: Contemporary Issues and Historical

Perspectives

Overview

To be effective, professional civil engineersshould draw upon their broad educationto analyze the impacts of historical andcontemporary issues on engineering andanalyze the impact of engineering on theworld. The engineering design cycleillustrates the dual nature of this outcome.In defining, formulating, and solving anengineering problem, engineers mustconsider the impacts of historical eventsand contemporary issues.

Knowledge of history and heritage helpscommunicate the importance of the civilengineering profession to society. A notedengineering historian stated that “thevalue of engineering history goes beyondits being part of the liberal education of anengineer. Engineering history is useful, ifnot essential, to understanding the natureof engineering; it also assists in thepractice of the profession. We gainperspective across fields of engineering byknowing their various and interrelatedhistories. A historical perspective assistsengineers in identifying failure modes andcatching errors in logic and design.Engineering history, in short, isengineering as well as history.”55

Examples of contemporary issues thatcould impact engineering include themulticultural globalization of engineeringpractice; raising the quality of life aroundthe world; the importance of sustainability;the growing diversity of society; and thetechnical, environmental, societal,political, legal, aesthetic, economic, andfinancial implications of engineeringprojects. When generating and comparingalternatives and assessing performance,engineers must also consider the impactthat engineering solutions have on theeconomy, environment, politicallandscape, and society.

B: Drawing upon a broad education,explain the impact of historical andcontemporary issues on the identification,formulation, and solution of engineeringproblems and explain the impact ofengineering solutions on the economy,environment, political landscape, andsociety. (L3) At the undergraduate level,engineers must apply their broadeducation, derived upon in part from thehumanities and social sciences breadth, tothe solution of engineering problems.Engineering does not occur in a vacuum,and engineers must be able to both explainthe impact of historical and contemporaryissues on engineering and explain the


impact of engineering on the world. Sincecontemporary issues and historicalperspectives are essentially a part of theengineering design process, mostengineering design courses, especiallycapstone design experiences, includeapplication of contemporary issues andhistorical perspectives. Examples of otheropportunities to incorporate historicalperspectives in an undergraduate civilengineering program include providinghistorical vignettes on scientists andengineers who developed key equations,background and field trips to historicallandmarks, and written and oralpresentations on historical perspectives ofcurrent or future projects.

E: Analyze the impact of historical andcontemporary issues on theidentification, formulation, and solutionof engineering problems and analyze theimpact of engineering solutions on theeconomy, environment, politicallandscape, and society. (L4) The formaleducation process sets the stage for futuredevelopment of the skills required toincorporate historical perspectives andcontemporary issues into engineering. Inpractice, most projects and engineeringdesign involve varying degrees ofintegration with historical andcontemporary issues. The development ofthe required analytical skills should comefrom lifelong learning, mentorship fromsenior engineers, and from practicalexperience.


TECHNICAL OUTCOMES

Outcome 12: Risk and Uncertainty

Overview

In the past, the teaching of statistics hasusually been performed outside of the civilengineering department and rarelyintegrated into department coursework.Therefore, the student is not significantlyexposed to the fundamental concepts ofrisk/uncertainty within the engineeringcourses. Civil engineers must deal withreal-world uncertainty in design andplanning in which public safety is amongthe top priorities of any design. Theseuncertainties are unavoidable in anyengineering design and in decision-making. They can be data-based orknowledge-based. The engineer should beable to recognize and quantify thoseuncertainties as part of the design process,apply probability and statistics (P&S) toquantify the risk of failure for well-definedengineering designs, and determineappropriate safety factor(s) to minimizethe risk to public safety.

The fundamentals of P&S, in combinationwith other engineering mathematics andsciences (for example, physics, mechanics,and chemistry), are essential for modelingand analysis of uncertainty, including theidentification of all major uncertainties,determining their significance, andapplying P&S to assess probability offailure and risk. The fundamentals of P&S

should be emphasized in the civilengineering departments, where thepractical significance and importance ofP&S in engineering can be properly andadequately addressed. The student shouldbe exposed to P&S concepts and theirapplication as early as possible within thecivil engineering department curriculumso as to enhance knowledge andunderstanding of the relationship betweenP&S and civil engineering applications.

B: Apply the principles of probability andstatistics to solve problems containinguncertainties. (L3) A basic understandingof risk and uncertainty principles must beincorporated into the civil engineeringdepartment courses. The application ofrisk/uncertainty within the baccalaureateprogram should pertain to the design ofengineered components withinfundamental engineering coursework, inorder to quantify the capability of anengineered design component.Individuals should develop sufficientunderstanding of P&S so they can modelproblems under uncertainty and interpretthe quality of data and its uncertaintyobtained from various engineering tools.

E: Analyze the loading and capacity, andthe effects of their respectiveuncertainties, for a well-defined designand illustrate the underlying probabilityof failure (or nonperformance) for a


specified failure mode. (L4) The engineermust be able to review all relevantinformation and quantify the underlyingrisk/uncertainty of individual engineeredcomponents within a well-defined designor system and determine their significanceto and/or synergistic effect on the overalldesign. The engineer must be able to applyP&S tools to the overall design or system

to determine the probability of failure forexpected failure modes and be able toillustrate and communicate thisinformation to decision makers and thenon-technical community. Thisknowledge shall form the quantitativebasis for selecting the proper safetyfactor(s) within the design or system.


TECHNICAL OUTCOMES

Outcome 13: Project Management

Overview

Management is a field that touches everyindividual to some extent—from home towork to the community. In simplest terms,management can be defined as “the act,art, or manner of managing or handling,controlling, directing.”56 Engineeringmanagement is the act of managing theengineering relationships among themanagement tasks related to staffing,organizing, planning, financing, and thehuman element in production, research,engineering, and service organizations.Engineering managers must understandand integrate organizational, technical,external, and behavioral variables andconstraints in order to accomplishpredetermined tasks and goals. Accordingto the Project Management Institute,“Project management is the application ofknowledge, skills, tools, and techniques toproject activities to meet projectrequirements. Project management isaccomplished through the application andintegration of the project managementprocesses of initiating, planning,executing, monitoring and controlling,and closing.”57 Project management is bestunderstood within a body of knowledgethat is generally recognized as goodpractice.58

B: Develop solutions to well-defined projectmanagement problems. (L3) The formaleducation process has the potential to makea significant impact on teaching projectmanagement principles and developingeffective managers, including the ability towork alongside and report to people fromother cultures. Project managementprinciples include those actions necessary toinitiate, plan, execute, monitor and control,and close a project. Examples of curricularproject management opportunities in theundergraduate program are design teams forcourse assignments, capstone designprojects, and undergraduate research. Co-and extracurricular project managementopportunities include cooperative educationassignments, student organization projects,and student-based community serviceprojects.

E: Formulate documents to be incorporatedinto the project plan. (L4) At a professionallevel, a civil engineer should be capable ofanalyzing project management andformulating effective strategies within a phaseor subproject of a much larger project orprogram within the context of the five processgroups (or phases) of initiating, planning,executing, monitoring and controlling, andclosing. Even at the most basic level of projectmanagement, one must be able to coordinateand communicate with other engineers, otherdisciplines and professionals, clients, and


other nontechnical people. In addition toknowledge competencies related to theseprocess groups (or phases), the professionalshould be able to analyze a situation involvingone or more of the following projectknowledge areas: integration management,scope management, time management, cost

management, quality management, humanresources management, communicationmanagement, risk management, andprocurement management. In addition, everysituation should be analyzed with respect torelevant professional responsibility andethical standards.


TECHNICAL OUTCOMES

Outcome 14: Breadth in Civil Engineering Areas

Overview

The ability to identify engineeringproblems, formulate alternatives, andrecommend feasible solutions is acritically important aspect of theprofessional responsibilities of a civilengineer. Civil engineering is aninherently broad field encompassing awide array of technical areas thatcontribute to infrastructure, public health,and safety. Most civil engineeringproblems draw upon ideas, concepts, andprinciples from across the discipline.Thus, professional civil engineers mustpossess technical breadth and strongproblem-solving ability in multipletechnical areas of the civil engineeringdiscipline. Traditional technical areasappropriate to civil engineering includeconstruction engineering, environmentalengineering, geotechnical engineering,surveying, structural engineering,transportation engineering, and waterresources engineering. Nontraditional

areas may include engineering and scienceknowledge areas appropriate to aninterdisciplinary approach to the solutionof civil engineering problems.

Knowledge and breadth of coverage in atleast four technical areas appropriate tocivil engineering is necessary forindividuals to solve a variety of civilengineering problems. Possessing thisbreadth will enable individuals to functionon intradisciplinary teams to design civilengineering projects, and allow theindividual to integrate knowledge frommultiple areas to work in secondary,advanced, and/or emerging technologies.

B: Analyze and solve well-definedengineering problems in at least fourtechnical areas appropriate to civilengineering. (L4) The breadth in technicalareas must be obtained at theundergraduate level and should preparestudents for subsequent courses inengineering curricula.


TECHNICAL OUTCOMES

Outcome 15: Technical Specialization

Overview

Advanced technical knowledge and skillsbeyond that included in the traditional four-year bachelor’s degree are essential toattaining the BOK necessary for entry intothe professional practice of civil engineering.Advanced technical specialization includesall traditionally defined areas of civilengineering practice, but also includescoherent combinations of these traditionalareas—that is, advanced knowledge andskills in the area of general civil engineeringare appropriate within the context ofadvanced specialization. Civil engineeringspecializations in nontraditional, boundary,or such emerging fields as ecologicalengineering and nanotechnology aresuitable and encouraged.

Many nonengineering degrees and courseshave content that would be beneficial tothe professional practice of civilengineering. These topics/courses may becombined with other appropriatecoursework to fulfill the technicalspecialization and/or other outcomesthrough the M/30. However, suchnonengineering degrees as the M.B.A.,J.D., and M.D. would most likely not, bythemselves, fulfill the technicalspecialization of the BOK.

B: Define key aspects of advancedtechnical specialization appropriate to

civil engineering. (L1) Before one canspecialize one must have a basic level ofknowledge about advanced technicalspecialization—that is, an individual mustknow what is expected of civil engineersthat specialize in a particular area. Thislevel of knowledge may be attainedthrough traditional courses as well asthrough guest lectures by practitionerswho practice in the area of interest.

M/30: Design a complex system or processor create new knowledge or technologiesin a traditional or emerging advancedspecialized technical area appropriate tocivil engineering. (L5) In recognition ofthe ever-advancing profession of civilengineering, advanced technicalspecialization areas appropriate to civilengineering are, by necessity, open andencompassing of the future needs of theprofession. Additionally, discovery andcreation of new technologies andknowledge are equally important to theprofession’s future. Regardless of thespecific path towards attainment oftechnical specialization, tangible relationto the professional practice of civilengineering is required. Individuals areexpected to, within their technical area ofspecialization, synthesize a design,research and develop new methods ortools, and/or discover or create newknowledge or technologies.


E: Evaluate the design of a complex systemor process, or evaluate the validity ofnewly created knowledge or technologiesin a traditional or emerging advancedspecialized technical area appropriate tocivil engineering. (L6) The prelicensureexperience should include opportunities topractice—under appropriate guidance and

mentorship—civil engineering within thetechnical area of specialization. The role ofpractitioner mentorship and review iscritical in terms of validating theindividual’s ability to evaluate, compareand contrast, and validate multiple optionswithin the specific advanced technical areaof specialization.


PROFESSIONAL OUTCOMES

Outcome 16: Communication

Overview

Means of communication includelistening, observing, reading, speaking,writing, and graphics. The civil engineermust communicate effectively withtechnical and nontechnical individualsand audiences in a variety of settings. Useof these means of communication by civilengineers requires an understanding ofcommunication within professionalpractice. Fundamentals of communicationshould be acquired during formaleducation. Prelicensure experience shouldbuild on these fundamentals to solidify thecivil engineer’s communication skills.

Within the scope of their practice civilengineers prepare and/or use calculations,spreadsheets, equations, computermodels, graphics, and drawings—all ofwhich are integral to a typically complexanalysis and design process.Implementation of the results of thissophisticated work requires that civilengineers communicate the essence oftheir findings and recommendations.

Civil engineers should be acquainted withthe tools used to draft their designs. Theability to draw sketches by hand and viacomputer-aided drafting and design(CADD) software is important in theprofessional practice of civil engineers.Virtual communication, defined ascommunication created, simulated, orcarried on by means of a computer or

other network,59 is common inengineering practice. Accordingly, civilengineers must be able to use variousmeans of communication in the virtualenvironment.

B: Organize and deliver effective verbal,written, virtual, and graphicalcommunications. (L4) The undergraduateexperience provides many and variedopportunities to present and applycommunication fundamentals. Communi-cation can be taught and learned across thecurriculum—that is, over all years of formaleducation and in most courses.

Given the many and variedcommunication means, communicationfundamentals and application can bewoven into mathematics, science, andtechnical and professional practice coursesas well as into humanities and socialscience courses. Examples include havingstudents create graphics to explaincomplex systems or processes, writedetailed laboratory reports for technicalaudiences and executive summaries fornontechnical audiences, research a topicand write a documented report, and maketeam presentations in capstone designcourses. Such co- and extracurricularactivities as cooperative education andactive participation in campusorganizations offer opportunities tocommunicate using various means in avariety of situations.


E: Plan, compose, and integrate the verbal,written, virtual, and graphicalcommunication of a project to technicaland nontechnical audiences. (L5)Engineering practice provides numerous“real-world” opportunities to applycommunication knowledge and skills. Theengineer should seek out—or be encouragedto take on—tasks and functions that involve

ever more challenging communication.Examples of communication opportunitiestypically available during the prelicensureperiod are helping to draft a memorandumor report, using CADD, giving an internalpresentation, speaking at local schools,serving on professional society committees,and making a presentation at a conferenceand publishing the results.



Outcome 17: Public Policy

Overview1

Public policy is the articulation of thenation’s, state’s, or municipality’s goalsand values. Thomas Dye provides aconcise statement defining public policy as“whatever governments choose to do ornot to do.”60 Since civil engineering isoften referred to as a people-servingprofession, and the people are the public,civil engineers are inherently part of thepublic policy process. Whether publicly orprivately owned, the civil engineeringbuilt environment directly affects the dailylives of people. Civil engineers naturallypractice their profession by followingstandards, specifications, and relatedguidelines as set forth in public policydocuments. Therefore, civil engineersshould be exposed to the process ofmaking public policy.

Civil engineers need to have anunderstanding of public policy and howdecision makers in government utilizetechnical, scientific, and economicinformation when devising or evaluatingpublic policy. Civil engineers are mostinvolved in public policy in the politicalprocess, laws/regulations, fundingmechanisms, public education,government-business interaction, and thepublic service responsibility of

professionals. Civil engineering systemshave a broad societal context because thecore economics of the profession’s work isbased on public funds, and the use of thebuilt environment is generally availablefor public use and consumption. Effectiveintegration of civil engineers into thepublic policy infrastructure is critical tothe overall success of society.

The range of public policy issues,processes, and implementation beginswith an awareness and understanding ofpublic policy procedures, progresses viasystematic evaluation of potentialoutcomes from public policy decisions,and generally culminates in policy designsand tools to guide future decisions.

B: Discuss and explain key concepts andprocesses involved in public policy. (L2)Individuals can demonstrate thecomprehension of public policy process viasuch mechanisms as the use of civilengineering standards and regulations indesign projects; integration/discussion oflocal, state, or national civil engineeringprojects through the curriculum;engagement in public service opportunities;and substantive participation inprofessional society’s activities.

E: Apply public policy process techniquesto simple public policy problems related tocivil engineering works. (L3) Individualscan demonstrate the application of publicpolicy techniques via participation thatincludes active engagement in professional

1. See Appendix N for additional ideas and infor-mation about public policy.


societies, the use and development ofrespective standards of practice, thepreparation or review of design/

construction specifications, and economicanalysis of alternative design works.



Outcome 18: Business and Public Administration

Overview

The professional civil engineer whofunctions in the business world requires anunderstanding of business fundamentals.Important business fundamentals topics astypically applied in the private sectorinclude legal forms of ownership,organizational structure and design,income statements, balance sheets,decision (engineering) economics, finance,marketing and sales, billable time,overhead, asset management, profit, andbusiness ethics. The engineer may need asubstantially greater amount of businessknowledge if he or she plans to workoutside the country in the global businessenvironment.

The professional civil engineer whofunctions within the public sector requiresan understanding of public administrationfundamentals. Essential public admini-stration fundamentals include the politicalprocess, laws and regulations, fundingmechanisms, public education andinvolvement, governmental-business

interaction, and the public serviceresponsibility of professionals.

B: Explain key concepts and processes usedin business and public administration.(L2) Examples of key concepts includeproblem identification, denoting the typeof personnel and/or organization requiredto solve the problem, implications of thecurrent laws and regulations, andresponsibility to the public and/or client.Examples of the problem-solving processinclude identifying applicable technologiesto address the issue, developing budgetsand project schedules, understandingfunding mechanisms, and business ethics.

E: Apply business and publicadministration concepts and processes.(L3) The individual should be able to setpersonnel requirements and timeallocations to accomplish specific tasks,determine sufficient funding for projects,and understand the basic principles of abalance sheet and billing/paymentrequirements. The individual should alsobe able to determine the necessarygovernment/business interaction andcontractual requirements for projects.



Outcome 19: Globalization

Overview1

The world is increasingly interconnected.Countries and their social, constructed,and natural environments demonstrateemerging interdependencies that must beconsidered in planning and selectingprojects. Immediate access to informationis everywhere, and in many respectsgeographic proximity is becoming lessimportant to the success of a project.61

Engineers will need to deal with ever-increasing globalization; find ways toprosper within an integrated internationalenvironment; and meet challenges thatcross cultural, language, legal, and politicalboundaries while respecting criticalcultural constraints and differences.1,62

The 21st-century civil engineer mustaddress three distinct global topics:63,50 theglobalization process, global issues, andglobal professionalism. Examples of theglobalization process are globalization’seffect on infrastructure revitalizationwithin the U.S.; the dependency ofeconomic wealth on the variety, reliability,and service of physical infrastructuresystems; and cost and governmental issuessuch as taxation and subsidy differencesacross jurisdictions.

Global issue examples include theinternational scale of such extreme andlong-term environmental events as naturaldisasters, global climate change, and theirimpacts on the natural, built, and socialenvironments; meeting a world healthstandard; and developing acceptableinternational standards for both large anddeveloping countries.

Examples of global professionalism issuesare individuals, businesses, and theprofession becoming effective inmulticultural practice; the challenge ofpracticing ethically in a globalenvironment; and barriers to professionallicensure, contractor licenses/permits, andforeign corporations.

B: Organize, formulate, and solveengineering problems within a globalcontext. (L3) An individual should be ableto apply the knowledge gained throughworking on course projects andparticipation in other activities to organize,formulate, and solve problems involvingglobal issues. For example, apply thefundamental knowledge of handling globalissues in specific applications and scenarios.

E: Analyze engineering works and servicesin order to function at a basic level in aglobal context. (L4) Analysis includes theimpact of the globalization process, globalissues, and global professionalism. Waysthat individuals can achieve this includeindustry interaction and professionalsociety participation.

1. See Appendix M for additional ideas and infor-mation about globalization.



Outcome 20: Leadership

Overview

In a broad sense leadership is developingand engaging others in a common vision,clearly planning and organizing resources,developing and maintaining trust, sharingperspectives, inspiring creativity,heightening motivation, and beingsensitive to competing needs. Leadershipis the art and science of influencing otherstoward accomplishing common goals anddoes not necessarily require a formal roleor position within a group. Engineersmust be willing to lead when confrontedwith professional and/or ethical issues.More often “employers [are] calling forgraduates who are not merely expert indesign and analysis but who possess theleadership skills to apply their technicalexpertise and to capitalize on emergingconstruction and information tech-nologies, management models, andorganizational structures.”64 Many alsoargue that “an engineer is hired for his orher technical skills, fired for poor peopleskills, and promoted for leadership andmanagement skills.”65

Although technical competence and broadmanagerial skills will remain important,success in engineering will be more aresult of leadership in applying thatcompetence and those skills, rather thanthe competence and skills themselves.4

The NAE report The Engineer of 2020:Visions of Engineering in the New Centurystates that “engineers must understand the

principles of leadership and be able topractice them as their careers advance.”4

Clearly the acquisition of leadership skillsand the art of practicing leadership arevital to the future of civil engineering. Bythe very nature of a profession thatrequires the attainment of stronganalytical and rational decision makingskills, engineers are particularly well suitedto assume leadership roles.

B: Apply leadership principles to directthe efforts of a small, homogeneousgroup. (L3) The best place to start theformal leadership development process isat the undergraduate level.66 Leadershipcan be taught and learned. Leadershipprinciples include being technicallycompetent, knowing oneself and seekingself improvement, making sound andtimely decisions, setting the example,seeking responsibility and takingresponsibility for one’s actions,communicating with and developingsubordinates both as individuals and as ateam, and ensuring that the project isunderstood, supervised, andaccomplished. The formal educationprocess has the potential to make asignificant impact on teaching leadershipprinciples and developing leadershipattributes.64

Qualities and attributes of leadersinclude:66,67,68 vision, enthusiasm,industriousness, initiative, competence,commitment, selflessness, integrity, high


ethical standards, adaptability,communication skills, discipline, agility,confidence, courage, curiosity, andpersistence. Examples of leadershipopportunities in the undergraduateprogram include leadership of designteams, leadership opportunities withincapstone designs, and leadership withinsuch organizations as ASCE’s studentchapters, student competitions, civicorganizations, honor societies, athleticteams, student government, andfraternities and sororities.

E: Organize and direct the efforts of agroup. (L4) Leadership cannot be solelyacquired in a classroom. Leadershipdevelopment during formal educationmust be reinforced by extensive practice inreal-world settings early in an engineer’scareer,66 and leadership development mustcontinue throughout an engineer’s career.Senior engineers must mentor juniorengineers and provide opportunities forleadership.



Outcome 21: Teamwork

Overview

Licensed civil engineers must be able tofunction as members of a team. Thisrequires understanding team formationand evolution, personality profiles, teamdynamics, collaboration among diversedisciplines, problem solving, and timemanagement and being able to foster andintegrate diversity of perspectives,knowledge, and experiences.69

A civil engineer will work within twodifferent types of teams. The first isintradisciplinary and consists of membersfrom within the civil engineeringsubdiscipline—for example, a structuralengineer working with a geotechnicalengineer. The second is multidisciplinaryand is a team composed of members ofdifferent professions—for example, a civilengineer working with an economist onthe financial implications of a project or acivil engineer working with local electedofficials on a public planning board.Multidisciplinary also includes a teamconsisting of members from differentengineering subdisciplines—sometimesreferred to as a crossdisciplinaryteam—for example, a civil engineerworking with a mechanical engineer.

B: Function effectively as a member of anintradisciplinary team. (L3) At theundergraduate level, the focus is primarilyon working as members of anintradisciplinary team—that is, a team

within the civil engineering subdiscipline.Effective team members are usually honest,open-minded, tolerant, diligent, reliable,and considerate. Examples of opportunitiesfor students to work in teams includedesign projects and laboratory exerciseswithin a course and during a capstonedesign experience. The development of theability to function as a member of a teamgoes beyond the classroom andengineering. Accordingly, students shouldseek opportunities to work as teammembers in myriad activities, includingstudent government, civic and serviceorganizations, and employment.

E: Function effectively as a member of amultidisciplinary team. (L4) Prior tolicensing, engineers must be able toeffectively function as a member of amultidisciplinary team. Engineers must beable to work with other engineers outside thecivil engineering discipline or others outsidethe engineering profession. In practice, mostprojects and designs will incorporate otherengineering disciplines and/or otherprofessions. For example, civil engineers willoften have to work with mechanicalengineers for a structural building design,with environmental engineers for a waterresources project, or with constructionmanagement personnel on many projects.Civil engineers may also work with publicplanning boards or financial consultants onprojects. By the very nature of the profession,civil engineers need to develop and exercisestrong teamwork skills.



Outcome 22: Attitudes

Overview1

Attitudes fundamentally and profoundlyaffect the success and welfare of projectsand the profession. Attitudes are the waysin which one thinks and feels in responseto a fact or situation. Attitudes reflect anindividual’s values and world view and theway he or she perceives, interprets, andapproaches surroundings and situations.Attitudes do not exist in a vacuum but arerelated to some object or situation. Whilethis definition is very broad, this BOKlimits its scope to attitudes supportive ofthe professional practice of civilengineering.

The positive attitudes generally consideredto be conducive to the effective professionalpractice of civil engineering includecommitment, confidence, consideration ofothers, curiosity, entrepreneurship, fairness,high expectations, honesty, integrity,intuition, judgment, optimism, persistence,positiveness, respect, self esteem, sensitivity,thoughtfulness, thoroughness, andtolerance. The list is not exhaustive and

some of the attitudes can manifestthemselves in negative ways. The BOKincludes only positive, constructiveexpressions of these and other attitudes.

B: Explain attitudes supportive of theprofessional practice of civil engineering.(L2) Beginning to develop supportiveattitudes during undergraduate educationis important. Certainly these attitudesshould be modeled by instructors,advisors, mentors, and others concernedwith a student’s progress toward a degree.Preferably the student will model theseattitudes upon graduation, but what isrequired here is that the student be awareof and explain attitudes supportive of theprofessional practice of civil engineering.

E: Demonstrate attitudes supportive ofthe professional practice of civilengineering. (L3) The licensed engineermust demonstrate attitudes supportive ofprofessional practice. The engineeringprocess requires individuals to work wellwith others and assume leadership roles inspecific areas. Supportive attitudes areessential to the successful accomplishmentof these tasks and to many other outcomesrelated to professional practice.1. See Appendix O for additional ideas and infor-

mation about attitudes.



Outcome 23: Lifelong Learning

Overview

Given the ever-increasing quantity oftechnical and nontechnical knowledgerequired of practicing civil engineers, theability to engage in lifelong learning isessential. Lifelong learning is defined asthe ability to acquire knowledge,understanding, or skill throughout one’slife. Knowledge, skills, and experienceacquired in undergraduate programs arenot sufficient for a career spanning severaldecades. Civil engineers should engage inlifelong learning through additionalformal education; continuing education;professional practice experience; andactive involvement in professionalsocieties, community service, coaching,mentoring, and other learning and growthactivities.

B: Demonstrate the ability for self-directed learning. (L3) At theundergraduate level, the focus is first todefine lifelong learning and explain whylifelong learning is an essential skill for thesuccessful practice of engineering.Graduates must also describe the skillsrequired for lifelong learning,demonstrate the ability for self-directedlearning, and develop their own learningplan. Self-directed learning is a mode oflifelong learning because it is the ability tolearn on one’s own with the aid of formaleducation.70 Independent study projectsand open-ended problems that requireadditional knowledge that is not presented

in a formal class setting are examples ofways to provide opportunities for self-directed learning in an undergraduateprogram. Programs can also assess studentwork requiring professional goal setting orreflection on the value of lifelong learning.Student participation in professionaldevelopment activities such asprofessional society membership,community service, and preparation forthe Fundamentals of Engineering examare also examples of lifelong learning.

E: Plan and execute the acquisition ofexpertise appropriate for professionalpractice. (L5) Prior to licensing, engineersmust first be able to identify additionalknowledge, skills, and attitudesappropriate for professional practice.Engineers must then be able to plan andexecute the acquisition of knowledge,skills, and experiences required forprofessional practice and plan and executetheir own professional developmentprogram in response to internal andexternal motivations. Lifelong learningactivities include personal and professionaldevelopment on goal setting, personal timemanagement, delegation, understandingpersonality types, networking, leadership,appreciating sociopolitical processes, andaffecting change. Other types ofprofessional development include careermanagement, increasing knowledge in aspecific discipline, contributing to theprofession through service on committeesin professional organizations, additional


formal education, and achieving specialtycertification. Mentorship should play a keyrole in the lifelong learning process.

Finally, civil engineers must have theability to learn how to learn.71



Outcome 24: Professional and Ethical Responsibility

Overview

Civil engineers in professional practicehave a privileged position in society,affording the profession exclusivity in thedesign of the public’s infrastructure. Thisposition requires each of its members toadhere to a doctrine of professionalismand ethical responsibility. This doctrine isset forth in the seven fundamental canonsin ASCE’s Code of Ethics.43 The firstcanon states that civil engineers “…shallhold paramount the safety, health, andwelfare of the public.…” By meeting thisresponsibility, which puts the publicinterest above all else, the profession earnssociety’s trust.

According to the vision for civilengineering in 2025,1 civil engineers aspireto be “entrusted by society to create asustainable world and enhance the globalquality of life.” Therefore, current andfuture civil engineers, whether employedin public or private organizations or self-employed, will increasingly holdprivileged and responsible positions.Although the fundamental canons maydetail the appropriate behavior andattitude of the individual, consistent withthe privilege of membership in theprofession of civil engineering,professional and ethical behavior goesbeyond the minimums defined by ethics

codes. Depending on the individual’sinterests and circumstances, professionaland ethical activities may includementoring less experienced personnel,leading or actively participating inprofessional societies, and involvement incommunity affairs.

B: Analyze a situation involving multipleconflicting professional and ethicalinterests to determine an appropriatecourse of action. (L4) The undergraduateexperience should introduce and illustratethe impact of the civil engineer’s work onsociety and the environment. This naturallyleads to the importance of meeting suchprofessional responsibilities as maintainingcompetency and the need for ethicalbehavior. The latter can be aided byfamiliarity with engineering codes of ethicsand by identifying professional engineersand licensing boards as additional guidanceresources. Going beyond satisfying codes,students should begin to see theopportunities that their profession offersfor participation, including leadership inprofessional societies and communityaffairs. The preceding teaching andlearning can be accomplished across thecurriculum, including by example, and inselected co- and extracurricular activitiesincluding participation in cooperativeeducation and active involvement in


engineering professional societies andcampus organizations.

E: Justify a solution to an engineeringproblem based on professional andethical standards and assess personalprofessional and ethical development.(L6) The professional is likely to quicklyencounter professional and ethical issuesin his/her professional career. In fact,supervisors, coaches, and mentors should

offer the professional opportunities toparticipate in applying pertinent laws andregulations and professional and ethicalprinciples to help define and resolve suchissues. The individual should beencouraged to continuously enhance hisor her professional and ethicaldevelopment by becoming activelyinvolved in professional societies andcommunity affairs.


APPENDIX K

Humanities and Social Sciences

Introduction

What is the role of engineers in society,and how is that role changing? TheNational Academy of Engineering reportThe Engineer of 2020a identifies these threevisions for the engineering profession:

■ By 2020, we aspire to a public that willunderstand and appreciate the pro-found impact of the influence of theengineering profession on socioculturalsystems, the full spectrum of careeropportunities accessible through anengineering education, and the value ofan engineering education to engineersworking successfully in nonengineeringjobs.

■ We aspire to a public that will recognizethe union of professionalism, technicalknowledge, social and historical aware-ness, and traditions that serve to makeengineers competent to address theworld’s complex and changing challenges.

■ We aspire to engineers who will remainwell grounded in the basics of mathe-matics and science, and who will expandtheir vision of design through solidgrounding in the humanities, social sci-ences, and economics. Emphasis on thecreative process will allow more effectiveleadership in the development andapplication of next-generation technolo-gies to problems of the future.

The need for humanities and socialsciences (H&SS) education for engineersis evident in each of these statements. Thehumanities include such subjects as art,religion, philosophy, history, andliterature while the social sciences includesuch subjects as economics, politicalscience, sociology, and psychology. Socialsciences are often data-driven andquantitative while the humanities typicallyemploy critical and analytic thinking.

Related to the preceding vision is theglobal vision that emerged from ASCE’s2006 Summit on the Future of CivilEngineering.b The vision, which isincluded in Chapter 2 of this report,describes where the civil engineeringprofession will strive to be in 2025.

Fulfillment of the civil engineering visionrequires professional activity supportedon a balanced base of liberal learning.Failure to provide civil engineers with aneducation founded upon this balancedbase will compromise the profession’sability to realize this vision; to recruit andretain the best talent; and to performeffectively as a profession. This concept isbroadly shared among other professions,including law, medicine, and architecture.

The ASCE vision asserts importantaspirations for civil engineering. Acommitment to this vision must bereflected in substantive ways in the civilengineering BOK.


Liberal Learning in Civil Engineering Education

Liberal learning—defined as learning thatfrees the mind—is normally foundedupon four general areas of education:natural sciences, mathematics, thehumanities, and the social sciences.Liberal learning implies free and broadinquiry with intellectual discipline and isfoundational for many other establishedprofessions. Engineering needs thisbalanced base of education.

Because liberal learning underpins otherprofessions, an independent descriptionof liberal learning is useful. The followingstatement was adopted by the Board ofDirectors of the Association of AmericanColleges & Universities (AACU) inOctober 1998:

A truly liberal education is one thatprepares us to live responsible, pro-ductive, and creative lives in a dra-matically changing world. It is aneducation that fosters a well-grounded intellectual resilience, adisposition toward lifelong learning,and an acceptance of responsibilityfor the ethical consequences of ourideas and actions. Liberal educationrequires that we understand thefoundations of knowledge andinquiry about nature, culture andsociety; that we master core skills ofperception, analysis, and expression;that we cultivate a respect for truth;that we recognize the importance ofhistorical and cultural context; andthat we explore connections amongformal learning, citizenship, and ser-vice to our communities.

We experience the benefits of liberallearning by pursuing intellectualwork that is honest, challenging, andsignificant, and by preparing our-

selves to use knowledge and power inresponsible ways. Liberal learning isnot confined to particular fields ofstudy. What matters in liberal edu-cation is substantial content, rigor-ous methodology, and an activeengagement with the societal, ethi-cal, and practical implications of ourlearning. The spirit and value of lib-eral learning are equally relevant toall forms of higher education and toall students.

Because liberal learning aims to freeus from the constraints of ignorance,sectarianism, and myopia, it prizescuriosity and seeks to expand theboundaries of human knowledge. Byits nature, therefore, liberal learningis global and pluralistic. It embracesthe diversity of ideas and experiencesthat characterize the social, natural,and intellectual world. To acknowl-edge such diversity in all its forms isboth an intellectual commitment anda social responsibility, for nothing lesswill equip us to understand our worldand to pursue fruitful lives.

The ability to think, to learn, and toexpress oneself both rigorously andcreatively, the capacity to understandideas and issues in context, the com-mitment to live in society, and theyearning for truth are fundamentalfeatures of our humanity. In center-ing education upon these qualities,liberal learning is society’s bestinvestment in our shared future.

The following statement describes, from theabove AACU source, the essence of liberallearning. It must be embraced by civilengineering education as part of the processof preparing civil engineers of the future.

What matters in liberal education issubstantial content, rigorous meth-odology, and an active engagement


with the societal, ethical, and practi-cal implications of our learning.

Doesn’t this describe the goals andaspirations of civil engineering education?

The need for H&SS in civil engineeringeducation is supported by the concepts ofliberal learning and the concepts of criticalthinking. Civil engineers think about anddevelop solutions to problems. A civilengineer’s thinking must be systematicand guided and informed by analysis andassessment of relevant information. A civilengineer’s thinking must not be arbitrary,biased, lacking in context, or poorlysubstantiated. A critical thinker:c

■ “raises vital questions and problems,formulating them clearly and precisely;

■ gathers and assesses relevant informa-tion, using abstract ideas to interpret iteffectively, comes to well-reasoned con-clusions and solutions, testing themagainst relevant criteria and standards;

■ thinks open-mindedly in considerationof alternative solutions, recognizingand assessing, as need be, their assump-tions, implications, and practical con-sequences; and

■ communicates effectively with others infiguring out solutions to complexproblems.”

For civil engineers educated exclusively inareas of mathematics and science, themost prominent questions are likely to bemathematical and scientific questions.Alternatively, a civil engineer whoseeducation includes H&SS will bring moreto the critical thinking process. A broadlyeducated engineer is likely to recognize theimpact of the engineering decisions notonly upon the more narrowly framedmathematics, science, and technicalquestions but upon the more broadlyframed questions informed by H&SS.

A Balanced Body of Knowledge

Figure K-1 attempts to capture the centralidea of a broad education graphically byshowing technical and professionaleducation and performance supported byfour foundational legs (mathematics,natural sciences, humanities, socialsciences). Together these broadly capturethe established dimensions of highereducation.

The 20th century witnessed a majorexpansion in the mathematics and science“legs” that support civil engineering. Thecontinuing importance of this isemphasized by the inclusion of fourseparate outcomes in BOK2 and thestrong reliance of other outcomes on thismathematics science foundation.

An absence of explicit support legs for thehumanities and social sciences would beconsistent with the classical impression ofan engineer well grounded only intechnical issues. This is an unfortunatehistorical stereotype—one that theprofession large rejects today, and aspiresto move beyond. Accordingly, separatesupport legs for humanities and for socialsciences are included in the BOK2. Allfour legs are essential in supporting thevision of the civil engineering profession.

Relative to these legs, Vest,d,e identifies two“pivotal” developments in engineeringeducation since World War II: thedevelopment of the science base of“engineering science”; and the incorporationof the H&SS in support of the “21st-centuryview of engineering systems, which surelyare not based solely on physics andchemistry.” Note the increasing reliance onthe humanities leg and social sciences legand the obligation to develop these withinthe profession broadly, as a matter of basicprofessional competence.


Foundational Outcomes in the Body of Knowledge

In order to recognize the importance ofhumanities and social sciences in theeducation of future civil engineers, two newoutcomes—one for humanities and one forthe social sciences—have been included in thecivil engineering BOK. There is considerablefreedom for educators to determine howthese outcomes may be fulfilled throughcontributions from various academicdepartments and disciplines. Unlike the basicsciences outcomes (chemistry, physics, andnatural sciences), particular humanity orsocial science fields are not specified. Thisfreedom permits each program to deviserequirements consistent with their universityand department missions.

Cited Sources

a) National Academy of Engineering.2004. The Engineer of 2020: Visions of

Engineering in the New Century. TheNational Academy of Sciences, Wash-ington, D.C. (http://www.nae.edu)

b) ASCE Task Committee to Plan a Sum-mit on the Future of the Civil Engi-neering Profession. 2007. The Visionfor Civil Engineering in 2025, ASCE,Reston, VA. (A PDF version is avail-able, at no cost, from http://www.asce.org./Vision2025.pdf)

c) Foundation for Critical Thinking,“The Critical Thinking Community.”(http://www.criticalthinking.org/)

d) Vest, C., “Educating Engineers for2020 and Beyond,” in National Acad-emy of Engineering. 2004. The Engi-neer of 2020: Visions of Engineering inthe New Century. The National Acad-emy of Sciences, Washington, D.C.(http://www.nae.edu)

e) Vest, C. 2006. “Educating Engineersfor 2020 and Beyond,” The Bridge,Summer, p. 40.

Figure K-1. The future technical and professional practice education of civil engineers is supported on four foundational legs.

Mat

hem

atic

s

Hu

man

itie

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Nat

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l Sci

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s

Soci

al S

cien

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Technical Depth

Technical & Professional Breadth

http://www.nae.edu

http://www.asce.org./Vision2025.pdf

http://www.asce.org./Vision2025.pdf

http://www.criticalthinking.org/

http://www.nae.edu


APPENDIX L

Sustainability

The 21st-century civil engineer must demonstrate an ability to analyze the sustainability of engineered systems—and of the natural resource base on which

they depend—and design accordingly.

Overview

Civil engineering developed historicallywith a distinctive focus on civilianinfrastructure and the technologicalsupport of civil society generally. Theprofession has continued to affirm thismission throughout the 20th century andinto the 21st century. Necessarily,technology continues to evolve, andproblems mirror society in theirincreasing scale and complexity. Theglobalization of civil society has brought aparallel globalization of civil engineeringconcerns and practice.a,b A primarydimension of those concerns and practiceis sustainability.

Unquestionably, global scenarios involvethe natural resource base that sustains civilsociety and the natural and the builtenvironments. Example concerns includethe depletion of fossil resources; themanagement of new energy sources,including the nuclear fuel cycle; thebioengineering of fuel, food, and drugs;the maintenance of agriculturalproductivity; the increasing exploitationof the oceans; the human right to water;nuclear chemistry; and more.Anthropogenic influences are clearly

visible in the global ecosystem: speciesextinction, exhaustion of depletedresources, geopolitical conflict overownership of renewable resources, anddegradation of the planetary commons(for example, the atmosphere, oceans, andrivers). Civil engineering cannot by itself“solve” these problems; yet it mustembrace a proactive, professional stanceand contribute distinctive competencetoward their resolution.

Civil Engineering and the Sustainability Commitment

ASCE adopted this definition inNovember 1996:c

Sustainable development is the chal-lenge of meeting human needs fornatural resources, industrial prod-ucts, energy, food, transportation,shelter, and effective waste manage-ment while conserving and protect-ing environmental quality and thenatural resource base essential forfuture development.

That this expresses an ethical obligationon the part of the profession has been


recognized since 1996 in the ASCE Codeof Ethics.d Fundamental Canon 1 assertsthat

Engineers shall hold paramount thesafety, health, and welfare of thepublic and shall strive to complywith the principles of sustainabledevelopment in the performance oftheir professional duties.

A comparable ethics statement wasadopted in 2006 by NSPE;e

Engineers shall strive to adhere to theprinciples of sustainable develop-ment in order to protect the environ-ment for future generations.

and a footnote adopted verbatim the ASCEdefinition of sustainable development.

ASCE Policy Statement 418 (October2004) affirmed the role of the professionin addressing and securing sustainability:f

The American Society of Civil Engineers(ASCE) recognizes the leadership role ofengineers in sustainable development,and their responsibility to provide qual-ity and innovation in addressing thechallenges of sustainability.

In that document, ASCE committed toimplementation strategies, including:

■ Promote broad understanding of politi-cal, economic, social, and technicalissues and processes as related to sus-tainable development.

■ Advance the skills, knowledge, andinformation to facilitate a sustainablefuture, including habitats, natural sys-tems, system flows, and the effects of allphases of the life cycle of projects on theecosystem.

■ Promote performance-based standardsand guidelines as bases for voluntaryactions and for regulations in sustain-

able development for new and existinginfrastructure.

In June 2002, the “Dialog on the Engineers’Role in Sustainable Development –Johannesburg and Beyond”g committed theseveral institutional signatories (AAES,AIChE, ASME, NAE, NSPE) to thedeclaration:

Creating a sustainable world thatprovides a safe, secure, healthy life forall peoples is a priority for the USengineering community. … Engineersmust deliver solutions that are techni-cally viable, commercially feasible,and environmentally and sociallysustainable.

In July 2006, ASCE endorsed themillennium development goals inPolicy Statement 517:h

The American Society of Civil Engi-neers (ASCE) supports the interna-tionally agreed development goalscontained in the Millennium Decla-ration as they apply to improving thequality of people’s lives around theworld through science and engineer-ing. ASCE works in collaborationwith other domestic and interna-tional organizations to engage engi-neers in addressing the needs of thepoor through capacity building andthe development of sustainable andappropriate solutions to poverty.

Partly in response, the ASCE Committeeon Sustainability published SustainableEngineering Practice: An Introductioni in2004. This report

…is intended to be a ‘primer’ on sus-tainability that … can inspire andencourage engineers to pursue andintegrate sustainable engineeringinto their work…


As a primer, this is a gathering of thepractical state of the art at the time of itspublication. A great deal of practicalmaterial is assembled therein. This followsin the path of the earlier ASCE/UNESCOmonograph Sustainability Criteria forWater Resource Systems.j

The notion of a necessary engineeringresponse to sustainability is pervasive inthe NAE reports on the engineer of 2020.k,l

Therein Vestm cites sustainability as thetop systems integration problem facingengineering today. Reflecting these andother current analyses, ASCE published itsVision for Civil Engineering in 2025n whichopens with:

“Entrusted by society to create a sus-tainable world … ”

Sustainability and the Body of Knowledge

The initial BOKo was issued in 2004.Sustainability is not represented explicitlyin any of the 15 outcomes. Despite theaccelerating discussion and professionalcommitment, the word “sustainability”occurs only twice in the commentariesaccompanying outcomes 1 and 3 on page25 of the first edition of the BOK report.

In this, the second edition of the BOKreport, sustainability is incorporated as anew, independent outcome, achievementof which is recommended for entry intothe profession. The explanation tooutcome 10, (sustainability) begins withthis statement:

The 21st-century civil engineer mustdemonstrate an ability to analyze thesustainability of engineered sys-tems—and of the natural resourcebase on which they depend—anddesign accordingly.

This is the natural and necessarycomplement to the established policystatements about sustainability and to thelarge volume of practical activity alreadyunder way in the profession. Recognizingthis outcome in the BOK2 legitimizes thebasic preparation of young engineers insustainability, encourages its scholarly andprofessional evolution, and devotes theprofession at large to lifelong learning andprofessional practice in pursuit ofsustainable outcomes.

Accordingly, three definitions are needed:sustainability, sustainable engineering,and sustainable development. These are allbased herein on the extant ASCEdefinition of sustainable development,quoted above. The other two definitions:

Sustainability is the ability to meethuman needs for natural resources,industrial products, energy, food,transportation, shelter, and effectivewaste management while conservingand protecting environmental qual-ity and the natural resource baseessential for the future.

Sustainable engineering meets thesehuman needs.

Interdisciplinary, Distinctive Competence, Scope

There are social, economic, and physicalaspects of sustainability. Each affects, andis affected by, technology, naturalresources, and the environment. A broad,integrative understanding of all of theseaspects is necessary. Beyond that, specialcompetence is required in the scientificunderstanding of natural resources andthe environment, which are thefoundation of all human activity; and theintegration of this knowledge into


practical designs that support and sustainhuman development.

Special technical competence is requiredin three areas:

■ Sustaining the availability and produc-tivity of natural resources, the ultimatebase of civil society;

■ Sustaining civil infrastructure, the engi-neered environment; and

■ Sustaining the environment generally,the human habitat.

This technical competence must rest on abroad scientific base, including biologicaland chemical phenomena and besufficient to support relevant emergingtechnologies, creative design, and naturalresource constraints. There is nosubstitute for science in an engineer’scompetence. And beyond that, equallyessential is the ability to innovate—torecognize and solve problems withjudicious technical approaches.

Other critical dimensions of sustainabilityare the economic, social, and politicalaspects of civil life. Competence must reston a proper foundation here, too—in thehumanities, supporting humanaspirations and their expression; and inthe social sciences, supporting effectiveuse of political and economic means inassessing and meeting needs. The breadthof the sustainability challenge wascaptured in a recent article “Sustainability:the Ultimate Liberal Art.”p

Beyond these claims on the base,sustainability makes claims on theresearch frontier. No one would assert thatthe sustainability “problem” is a closedone, solutions lying in established forms.An aggressive search for the knowledgenecessary to make advances in this area isclearly needed.

The Rationale behind the Sustainability Rubric

Six levels of achievement are defined foreach BOK2 outcome. The different levelsgenerally build on a precollege preparation.For sustainability, the rationale for eachlevel further explains its meaning.

Level 1—Knowledge: Define key aspects of sustainability relative to engineering phenomena, society at large, and its dependence on natural resources, and relative to the ethical obligation of the professional engineer. Rationale: Proac-tive integration of diverse consider-ations is implied at the point where an engineering solution is proposed and evaluated. Implied is an ability to con-ceive of the full life-cycle of an engineer-ing project and a comprehensive set of outcomes, including effects on the envi-ronment, the natural resource base, the conditions at project termination, and the appropriateness of the project itself and how it serves the public interest.

Level 2—Comprehension: Explain key properties of sustainability, and their scientific bases, as they pertain to engi-neered works and services. Rationale:This is the natural extension of level 1. A blend of theory and experiment is likely in applying ideas to engineered systems. A scientific explanation is nec-essary, especially relative to natural resources and to the natural and built environment, where established scien-tific descriptions are available

Level 3—Application: Apply the princi-ples of sustainability to the design of tra-ditional and emergent engineering systems. Rationale: This is the natural extension of level 2. Graduates must be capable of applying ideas to real engineer-ing works and of utilizing general infor-mation available within the profession.


Level 4—Analysis: Analyze systems of engineered works, whether traditional or emergent, for sustainable perfor-mance. Rationale: This is a systems-level integration of cumulative and syn-ergistic effects of works with respect the sustainability of the composite out-come. Implied is the ability to propose and compare alternatives in an analytic framework.

Level 5—Synthesis: Design a complex system, process, or project to perform sustainably. Develop new, more sustain-able technology. Create new knowledge or forms of analysis in areas where sci-entific knowledge limits sustainable design. Rationale: This is either profes-sional-strength design or research. The latter can have varying amounts of sci-entific overlap.

Level 6—Evaluation: Evaluate the sus-tainability of complex systems, whether proposed or existing. Rational: This refers to the ability to inspire and evalu-ate the work of teams engaged synergis-tically. Included is the ability to quantify the value of research in sus-tainable engineering.

The higher levels begin to address theabilities of the profession as a group,presumably characterized by a broadbaseline of competence, the presence ofaccomplished specialists, a demonstrationof that competence sufficient to earn thepublic trust, and a collective commitmentto sustainability.

Cited Sources

a) Jha, M.K. and D. Lynch. 2007. “Role ofGlobalization and Sustainable Engi-neering Practice in the Future CivilEngineering Education,” in SustainableDevelopment and Planning, III, A Kun-

golos, C. A. Brebbia, E. Beriatos (eds),Vol. 2, 641–650, 2007.

b) Lynch D., W. Kelly, M. K. Jha, and R.Harichandran. 2007. “ImplementingSustainably in the Engineering Cur-riculum: Realizing the ASCE Body ofKnowledge,” proceedings of the ASEEAnnual Conference, Honolulu, HI,June.

c) ASCE. 1996. The definition of sustain-able development adopted by theASCE Board of Direction. https://www.asce.org/inside/codeofethics.cfm(see footnote therein for details)

d) ASCE. 1996. “Code of Ethics.” https://www.asce.org/inside/codeofethics.cfm

e) NSPE. 2006. “Code of Ethics.” http://www.nspe.org/ethics/eh1-codepage.asp

f) ASCE. 2004. Policy 418, “The Role ofthe Civil Engineer in SustainableDevelopment,” adopted by the Boardof Direction, October 19 2004. http://www.asce.org/pressroom/news/policy_details.cfm?hdlid=60

g) National Academy of Engineering.2002. “Dialogue on the Engineer’sRole in Sustainable Develop-ment—Johannesburg and Beyond.”June 24, 2002. U.S. National Acade-mies; statement endorsed by AAES,AIChE, ASME, NAE, and NSPE.

h) ASCE. 2006: “Millennium Develop-ment Goals,” Policy Statement 517.http://www.asce.org/pressroom/news/policy_details.cfm?hdlid=514

i) ASCE Committee on Sustainability.2004. Sustainable Engineering Prac-tice: An Introduction.

j) Loucks, D. P. and J. S. Gladwell. 1999.Sustainability Criteria for WaterResource Systems, Cambridge Univer-sity Press/UNESCO, 1999, 139 pp.

https://www.asce.org/inside/codeofethics.cfm




http://www.nspe.org/ethics/eh1-codepage.asp

http://www.nspe.org/ethics/eh1-codepage.asp

http://www.asce.org/pressroom/news/policy_details.cfm?hdlid=60






k) National Academy of Engineering.2004. The Engineer of 2020: Visions ofEngineering in the New Century.

l) National Academy of Engineering.2005. Educating the Engineer of 2020:Adapting Engineering Education to theNew Century.

m) Vest, C. M. 2005. “Educating Engi-neers for 2020 and Beyond,” in Edu-cating the Engineer of 2020, NAE2005 (op. cit.); pp. 160–169.

n) ASCE. 2006. The Vision for Civil Engi-neering in 2025. Report of the Summiton The Future of Civil Engineering.

o) ASCE Body of Knowledge Committee.2004. Civil Engineering Body of Knowl-edge for the 21st Century: Preparing theCivil Engineer for the Future.

p) Rhodes, F. T. 2006. “Sustainability:The Ultimate Liberal Art.” The Chroni-cle of Higher Education, October 20.

q) Lynch, D. R. 2007. “Sustainability Back-ground Information.” http://www-nml.dartmouth.edu/Publications/internal_reports/NML-06-Sustain/

Bibliographic background is available.q

http://www-nml.dartmouth.edu/Publications/internal_reports/NML-06-Sustain/




APPENDIX M

Globalization

Introduction

In recent years globalization has been atthe core of many studies reported by theNational Academy of Engineering (NAE),the National Science Foundation (NSF),and the American Society for EngineeringEducation (ASEE). The civil engineeringprofession deals with issues that may haveglobal impact, including the outsourcingof engineering services, the design andconstruction of civil engineeringinfrastructure, and creating a world healthstandard by providing adequate sanitationfacilities and drinking water. In the wakeof rapid advancement in informationtechnology, as well as increasingdiversification of society and the pressingneed for understanding global issues,tomorrow’s civil engineers must beprepared to handle global aspects of civilengineering practice.

The world is increasingly interconnected.Countries and their social, constructed,and natural environments demonstrateemerging interdependencies that must beconsidered in planning and selectingprojects. Information is increasinglyreadily obtained and, in many respects,geographic proximity is becoming lessimportant to the success of a project.Engineers will need to deal with ever-increasing globalization and find ways toprosper within an integrated internationalenvironment and meet challenges thatcross cultural, language, legal, and

political boundaries while respectingcritical cultural constraints anddifferences.

Outcome 19 (globalization) addressesthree distinct topics: the globalizationprocess, global issues, and globalprofessionalism. Practitioners networkglobally. Problems are local, culturallymediated, and diverse. Although theunderlying principles are universal, “onesize does not fit all” when seekingsolutions. The global professional must beable to deliver effective solutions in diversecultures, with diverse cooperation. Alicense to practice in, for example,Wyoming, must be respected beyond stateand U.S. borders. Its holder must becapable of, and accepted for, work beyondthe local jurisdiction. Specifically, the 21st-century civil engineer must demonstratethe impact of globalization on thefollowing four areas.

Professional Practice

What will be the effect of ever-increasingglobalization on the practice of civilengineering in the 21st century? Possibleissues include:

■ Individuals, businesses, and the profes-sion becoming effective in multicul-tural practice

■ The challenge of practicing ethically ina global environment


■ Civil engineers of the 21st centuryadapting to fully participate in theglobal economy

■ Working in a borderless, diverse culture

■ Bringing innovation back from overseas

■ Barriers to professional licensure, con-tractor licenses/permits, and foreigncorporations

Infrastructure

What will be the civil engineer’s role increating and maintaining the physicalinfrastructure throughout the world in the21st century? Possible issues include:

■ Globalization’s effect on infrastructurerevitalization in the U.S.

■ The dependency of economic wealth onthe variety, reliability, and service ofphysical infrastructure systems

■ Cost and governmental issues

■ The necessity to be actively involved inunderdeveloped countries

Environment

How will globalization impact the civilengineer’s approaches toward, andabilities to deal with, environmental issuesin the 21st century? Possible issues include:

■ The international scale of extreme andlong-term environmental events, suchas disasters, global climate change, andtheir impacts on the natural, built, andsocial environments

■ Meeting a world health standard

■ Developing acceptable internationalstandards for both large and developingcountries

Computer Tools and the Internet

How will various computer tools and theInternet impact the civil engineeringprofession in carrying out internationalcollaboration and project management inthe 21st century? Possible issues include:

■ The rapid advances made in computa-tion and Internet usability and theirimpact on project management

■ International collaboration and datatransfer using the Internet

■ Outsourcing and doing businessremotely using the Internet and othercomputer tools

Definitions of Globalization

There are many definitions ofglobalization. However, those relevant tothe civil engineering profession areprovided below:

■ Development of extensive worldwidepatterns of economic relationshipsbetween nations. www.investorwiz.com/glossary.htm

■ Globalization refers in general to theworldwide integration of humanity andthe compression of both the temporaland spatial dimensions of planet widehuman interaction. www2.truman.edu/~marc/resources/terms.html

■ The increasing worldwide integrationof markets for goods, services, and cap-ital that attracted special attention inthe late 1990s. Also used to encompassa variety of other changes that wereperceived to occur at about the sametime, such as an increased role for largecorporations in the world economy andincreased intervention into domestic

www.investorwiz.com/glossary.htm

www2.truman.edu/~marc/resources/terms.html

www2.truman.edu/~marc/resources/terms.html


policies and affairs by internationalinstitutions such as the IMF, WTO, andWorld Bank. www.personal.umich.edu/~alandear/glossary/g.html

■ A set of processes leading to the inte-gration of economic, cultural, political,and social systems across geographicalboundaries.www.hsewebdepot.org/imstool/GEMI.nsf/WEBDocs/Glossary

■ The process of developing, manufactur-ing, and marketing software productsthat are intended for worldwide distri-bution. This term combines two aspectsof the work: internationalization(enabling the product to be used with-out language or culture barriers) andlocalization (translating and enablingthe product for a specific locale).www.cit.gu.edu.au/~davidt/cit3611/glossary.htm

■ The generalized expansion of interna-tional economic activity, which includesincreased international trade, growth ofinternational investment (foreign invest-ment) and international migration, andincreased creation of technology amongcountries. Globalization is the increasingworldwide integration of markets forgoods, services, labor, and capital.minneapolisfed.org/econed/essay/topics/glossary05.cfm

■ The movement toward markets or poli-cies that transcend national borders.www.wcit.org/tradeis/glossary.htm

■ Tendency of integration of nationalcapital markets.www.equanto.com/glossary/g.html

■ In the translation/localization businessmarketplace, it refers to the wholeproblem of making any product or ser-vice global, with simultaneous releasein all markets. Web site globalizationmeans more than making one Web site

respond to the different language andregional requirements of the browser.www.openinternetlexicon.com/Glos-sary/GlobalGlossary.html

■ A process of creating a product or ser-vice that will be successful in manycountries without modification.www.bena.com/ewinters/Glossary.html

■ Trend away from distinct national eco-nomic units and toward one vast globalmarket. enbv.narod.ru/text/Econom/ib/str/261.html

■ Used for transnational influences onculture, economics, politics, et cet-era—especially illustrating global pat-terns or trends.lib.ucr.edu/depts/acquisitions/YBP%20NSP%20GLOSSARY%20EXTERNAL%20revised6-02.php

■ In the modern global economy no coun-try can sustain itself as a closed economy.www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/curr_content/entre30/helppages/glossary/glossary.html

■ The increasing economic, cultural,demographic, political, and environ-mental interdependence of differentplaces around the world.hhhknights.com/geo/4/agterms.htm

■ A relatively new word that is commonlyused to describe the ongoing, multidi-mensional process of worldwidechange. It describes the idea that theworld is becoming a single global mar-ket. It describes the idea that time andspace have been shrunk as a result ofmodern telecommunications technolo-gies which allow almost instantaneouscommunication between people almostanywhere on the planet.www.takebackwisconsin.com/Documents/Glossary.htm

■ The increasing integration of worldmarkets for goods, services, and capital.

www.personal.umich.edu/~alandear/glossary/g.html

www.personal.umich.edu/~alandear/glossary/g.html

www.hsewebdepot.org/imstool/GEMI.nsf/WEBDocs/Glossary

www.hsewebdepot.org/imstool/GEMI.nsf/WEBDocs/Glossary

www.openinternetlexicon.com/Glossary/GlobalGlossary.html

www.openinternetlexicon.com/Glossary/GlobalGlossary.html

www.bena.com/ewinters/Glossary.html

www.cit.gu.edu.au/~davidt/cit3611/glossary.htm

www.cit.gu.edu.au/~davidt/cit3611/glossary.htm

www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/curr_content/entre30/helppages/glossary/glossary.html

www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/curr_content/entre30/helppages/glossary/glossary.html

www.wcit.org/tradeis/glossary.htm

www.equanto.com/glossary/g.html

www.takebackwisconsin.com/Documents/Glossary.htm

www.takebackwisconsin.com/Documents/Glossary.htm


It has also been defined as a process bywhich nationality becomes increasinglyirrelevant in global production andconsumption.www.agtrade.org/glossary_search.cfm

■ The integration of markets on a world-wide scale could eventually meanworldwide standards or practices forproduct quality, pricing, service, anddesign. www.ucs.mun.ca/~rsexty/business1000/glossary/G.htm

■ It refers to international exchange orsharing of labor force, production,ideas, knowledge, products, and ser-vices across borders.www.kwymca.org/nccq/glossary.htm

■ The intensification of worldwide socialrelations, which, through economic,technological and political forces, linkdistant localities in such a way that dis-tant events and powers penetrate localevents.www.anthro.wayne.edu/ant2100/GlossaryCultAnt.htm

■ The process of making somethingworldwide in scope or application.schools.cbe.ab.ca/logistics/g.html

■ Refers to the widening, deepening, andspeeding up of worldwide interconnect-edness in all aspects of contemporarylife. (All aspects, including its nature,causes, and effects are hotly disputed,with strange bedfellows on all sides.)www.ripon.edu/academics/global/CONCEPTS.HTML

■ Is a term used to refer to the expansionof economies beyond national bor-ders—in particular, the expansion ofproduction by a firm to many countriesaround the world—that is, globalizationof production, or the “global assemblyline.” This has given transnational cor-porations power beyond nation-states,

and has weakened any nation’s ability tocontrol corporate practices and flows ofcapital, set regulations, control balancesof trade and exchange rates, or managedomestic economic policy.colours.mahost.org/faq/definitions.html

■ A contested term relating to the transfor-mation of spatial relations that involves achange in the relationship between space,economy, and society.media.pearsoncmg.com/intl/ema/uk/0131217666/student/0131217666_glo.html

■ Growth to a global or worldwide scale;“the globalization of the communica-tion industry.” wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

■ Globalization (or globalisation) is aterm used to describe the changes insocieties and the world economy thatare the result of dramatically increasedtrade and cultural exchange. In specifi-cally economic contexts, it is oftenunderstood to refer almost exclusivelyto the effects of trade, particularly tradeliberalization or free trade.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Globalization

Sources

Arciszewski, T. 2006. “Civil EngineeringCrisis,” Journal of Leadership andManagement in Engineering—ASCE, pp.26–30, January.

ASCE Body of Knowledge Committee.2004. Civil Engineering Body of Knowledgefor the 21st Century: Preparing the CivilEngineer for the Future, Reston, VA,January. (http://www.asce.org/raisethebar)

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&defl=en&q=define:Globalization&sa=

www.agtrade.org/glossary_search.cfm

www.ucs.mun.ca/~rsexty/business1000/glossary/G.htm

www.ucs.mun.ca/~rsexty/business1000/glossary/G.htm

www.kwymca.org/nccq/glossary.htm

www.anthro.wayne.edu/ant2100/GlossaryCultAnt.htm

www.anthro.wayne.edu/ant2100/GlossaryCultAnt.htm

www.ripon.edu/academics/global/CONCEPTS.HTML

www.ripon.edu/academics/global/CONCEPTS.HTML



http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&defl=en&q=define:Globalization&sa=X&oi=glossary_definition&ct=title



X&oi=glossary_definition&ct=title(accessed, April 2, 2007)

Jha, M.K. and D. Lynch. 2007. “Role ofGlobalization and Sustainable EngineeringPractice in the Future Civil EngineeringEducation,” in Sustainable Development

and Planning, III, A Kungolos, C. A.Brebbia, E. Beriatos (eds), Vol. 2, 641–650.

National Academy of Engineering. 2006.Rising Above the Gathering Storm:Energizing and Employing America for aBrighter Economic Future, NationalAcademies Press, Washington, D.C.



APPENDIX N

Public Policy

Individuals entering the professionalpractice of civil engineering mustrecognize that civil engineering activitiesare not conducted in isolation from thegeneral public. Civil engineers need tounderstand the engineering/public policyinterface and how decision makers ingovernment utilize technical, scientific,and economic information whenplanning, designing, or evaluating civilengineering projects. Continuousintegration of civil engineers into thepublic policy arena is critical to the well-being of society at large.

Public policy is the articulation of thenation’s, state’s, or municipality’s goals andvalues. Civil engineers are most involved inpublic policy regarding both the physicallybuilt environment and the preserved naturalenvironment. Essential public policyfundamentals include the political process,laws/regulations, funding mechanisms,public education, government/businessinteraction, and the public serviceresponsibility of professionals. These issuesheavily influence many civil engineeringdecisions.

In comparison to many other engineeringdisciplines, the practice of civil engineeringis unique with respect to public policy. Civilengineering systems have a much broadersocietal context requiring a firmunderstanding of public policydevelopment. The core economics of theprofession are shaped by public policy

debates and decisions. A substantialportion of financial support for civilinfrastructure and preservation of thenatural environment comes from publicfunds. Additionally, the use of the builtenvironment is generally available forpublic consumption and protected naturalareas are typically accessible for passivepublic use. Practitioners need to be activeparticipants in the process across all aspectsof civil engineering.

Public discourse and debate are keycomponents associated with the funding,development, maintenance, and rehab-ilitation of our country’s infrastructure. Atthe outset of one’s career, civil engineersmust understand how their work relates tothe nation’s public policy. Professionalengineers possess a vast quantity ofknowledge and experience that isextremely valuable in the development ofpublic policy. As they continue to growduring their career, the civil engineersbecome increasingly involved in thedevelopment of public policy. Future civilengineers must attain quality technicalknowledge and skills, and also have theability to assist society in understandingthe complex nature of building a safe andsustainable physical environment thatsupports the needs of the community.

Literature on public policy cites many andvaried definitions of public policy.Thomas Dye provides a very a concisedefinition: “whatever governments choose


to do or not to do.”a Because civilengineering is often referred to as apeople-serving profession, and the peopleare the public, civil engineers areinherently and increasingly more fullyengaged in the public policy process.Whether publicly or privately held, thecivil infrastructure and the naturalenvironment are engineered works thatdirectly affect the daily lives of people.Civil engineers naturally practice theirprofession by following standards,specifications, and related guidelines as setforth in public policy documents.Accordingly, engineering students shouldbe exposed to the overall process offormulating public policy.

Civil engineers interact regularly withpublic officials, decision makers, andagencies. Conflicts can arise in whatconstitutes “the public interest” anddisagreements often entail what makespublic policy public.b Thomas Birklandoffers several key considerations regardingthe study and practice of public policy: b

■ The practical reasons for studying pol-icy are political reasons.

■ It is important to understand the pro-cess that leads to decisions to make pol-icy statements.

■ Those who understand public policyprocesses are best able to meet theirrespective policy goals.

The range of public policy issues,processes, and implementation beginswith an awareness and understanding ofpublic policy procedures, progresses viasystematic evaluation of potentialoutcomes from public policy decisions,and generally culminates in policy designsand tools that guide future public interestdecisions.

Diane Rover argues that policy issues cantake the form of policy making created by

engineers and policy making to createengineers.c Within the civil engineeringBOK context, both are relevant. Roverprovides a summary review of the NationalAcademy of Engineering report TheEngineer of 2020: Visions of Engineering inthe New Century (2004). Several of thecited NAE needs and goals align naturallywith the future preparation of civilengineers:

■ By 2020, engineers will assume leader-ship positions that can have positiveinfluences in public policy issues relatedto government and industry.

■ Future engineers will need to be engagemore effectively in policy issues.

■ The convergence between engineeringand public policy will increase as tech-nology becomes more permanentlyengrained into society.

■ Likewise, engineers will need to under-stand the policy by-products of newtechnologies and be public servantswho recognize the implications ofrelated policy decisions.

The Engineer of 2020d clearly states theconcerns that while the United States hasthe “best physical infrastructure in thedeveloped world…. these infrastructuresare in serious decline … and are amongthe top concerns for public officials andcitizens alike.” Because the builtinfrastructure is the domain of civilengineers, the civil engineer of the futuremust be a full participant in the policydecisions justifying required investmentsto address the aging civil infrastructure.The NAE enumerates key engineeringroles that are anticipated regarding publicpolicy. The following items are directlyassociated with, affected by, and/ormitigated via the civil engineeringprofession:

■ Environment


■ Energy

■ Health

■ Education

■ Water supply and quality

The social context of engineering practiceas expressed in Educating the Engineer of2020e acknowledges that although thefuture is uncertain, “engineering will notoperate in a vacuum separate from societyin 2020.” This NAE report provides twoother relevant insights:

The professional context for engineers inthe future necessitates excellentcommunication skills when addressingboth technical and public audiences.

The convergence between engineering andpublic policy is reinforced, as is therequirement to responsibly articulate thepolicy issues affecting the general public.

Civil engineers will most certainly be at anatural nexus to meaningfully participatein the envisioned public debates. Thedebates can include working directly withCongress and other national public,private, and professional organizations.Beginning in the early 1990’s, variousgroups were calling upon scientists andengineers to build stronger relationshipswith their respective senators andrepresentatives.f In his practical guide“Working with Congress,” William Wellspresents several justifications for engagingin policy making by scientists andengineers: f

■ It is important not to leave science andtechnology policy issues in the hands ofother interests groups.

■ It should be made clear to decisionmakers that scientific ideas (and engi-neering matters) are based upon gener-ally accepted data and analysis.

■ Working with Congress does serve thepublic and national interest, the profes-sions, and associated institutions’ self-interests.

■ Most notably, to ignore Congress wouldabdicate one’s responsibility to the sci-ence and engineering communities.

The Eno Transportation Foundationoffers specific guidance and insights onthe policy development process andoutcomes. Succinctly, stakeholders need tohave a clear understanding of howgovernment develops and implementspolicies. It is likewise important to knowhow one can participate in shaping publicpolicy.g Since our American system allowseach stakeholder group to have a voice inestablishing public policy, the civilengineer, and the civil engineeringprofession, should actively participate inthe process. Two most recent andnoteworthy examples of activeparticipation by scientists and engineeringin setting public policy are the NAE reportEngineering Research and America’sFuture,h and The National Academiesreport titled: Rising Above the GatheringStorm.i

Cited Sources

a) Dye, T. R. 1992. Understanding PublicPolicy. 7th ed. Prentice Hall. Engle-wood Cliffs, NY.

b) Birkland, T. A. 2005. An Introductionto the Policy Process: Theories, Con-cepts, and Models of Public Policy Mak-ing. 2nd ed. M.E. Sharpe, London,England.

c) Rover, D. 2006. “Policy Making andEngineers,” Journal of EngineeringEducation, pp.93–95, January.


d) National Academy of Engineering.2004. The Engineer of 2020: Visions ofEngineering in the New Century. TheNational Academies of Sciences, Wash-ington, D.C. (http://www.nae.edu)

e) National Academy of Engineering.2005. Educating the Engineer of 2020:Adapting Engineering Education to theNew Century, National Academy of Sci-ences, Washington, DC. (http://www.nae.edu)

f) Wells, Jr., W. G. 1992. Working withCongress. 2nd ed., American Associa-tion for the Advancement of Science,Washington, D.C.

g) Eno Transportation Foundation.2005. National Transportation Organi-zations: Their Roles in the Policy Devel-opment and Implementation Process.The Eno Transportation Foundation,Washington, D.C.

h) National Academy of Engineering.2005. Engineering Research and Amer-ica’s Future: Meeting the Challenges of aGlobal Economy. The National Acade-mies Press, Washington, D.C.

i) National Academy of Engineering.2006. Rising Above the GatheringStorm: Energizing and EmployingAmerica for a Brighter EconomicFuture, National Academies Press,Washington, D.C.

http://www.nae.edu

http://www.nae.edu

http://www.nae.edu


APPENDIX O

Attitudes

Findings of the First Body of Knowledge Committee

The first BOK reporta defined the ASCEBOK as the knowledge, skills, andattitudes necessary for an individual toenter the professional practice of civilengineering. Several reasons were listed inthe report as to why “attitudes” wereincluded in the definition. Some of thosearguments are repeated here as isinformation defending the proposition ofincluding “attitudes” as its own outcomein this second edition of the ASCE BOK.

Attitudes refer to the “ways in which onethinks and feels in response to a fact orsituation.”b At the professional level, one’sattitudes will affect how knowledge andskills are applied to the solution of a civilengineering problem. The first BOKcommittee provided three reasons forincluding attitudes in the definition of aBOK:c

■ A wealth of study and professionalopinion points to the importance ofattitude in individual and groupachievement.

■ Teaching of attitudes is an integral partof educational practice.

■ Attitudes are an integral part of theBOKs of other professions and special-ties such as architecture, accounting,and law.

The first BOK committee noted that“knowledge and skills are morecomfortably and frequently discussed bycivil engineers and probably many otherprofessionals. This tendency is explained,in part, by the objectivity and specificity ofknowledge and skills in contrast to thesubjectivity and ambiguity of attitudes.”d

Attitudes are more difficult to assess thanknowledge and skills, yet attitudes affectbehavior, which certainly can be measured.

An exhaustive list of appropriate attitudeswould be difficult to compile. In thepresent case, the significant attitudes arethose that support the effective practice ofcivil engineering. A partial list of thoseattitudes might include commitment,confidence, consideration of others,curiosity, fairness, high expectations,honesty, integrity, intuition, goodjudgment, optimism, persistence,positiveness, respect, self-esteem,sensitivity, thoughtfulness, thoroughnessand tolerance.e

The first BOK report addressed thequestion, can attitudes be taught? Thereport notes that attitudes certainly can betaught, but the essential question iswhether students or pre-professionalengineers can learn appropriate attitudes.f

The subsequent challenge is to encouragethe professional community to adopt,practice, and assess those attitudes that aresupportive of the effective practice of civilengineering.g


In conclusion, the first BOK committeewrites:

“Despite the complications of subjec-tivity and ambiguity, the BOK Com-mittee members are convinced thatattitudes must join knowledge andskills as one of the three essentialcomponents of the “what” dimensionof the civil engineering BOK. Themanner in which a civil engineerviews and approaches his or her workis very likely to determine how effec-tively he or she uses hard-earnedknowledge and skills.”h

A more detailed version of the materialpresented here can be found in the paperby Hoadley.i

The Importance of Attitudes in the Engineering Profession

and Beyond

The authors of the first BOK report citedseveral articles that noted the importanceof attitudes to the engineering profession.A few more are considered here. Forexample, Elms noted that “besides havinggood technical training, a professionalengineer has something more, whichdistinguishes him [or her] from atechnician. The extra quality is a set ofattitudes, some of which—holism,realism, and flexibility—can beencouraged by university teaching.”j

Stouffer wrote that a particular set ofattitudes is important in effectiveengineering management.k With regard tomanagement efficiency, Kahn notes theinculcation of appropriate attitudes isnecessary in the manufacturingengineering profession.l In a survey of jobadvertisements for engineeringprofessionals, Henshaw found that thatemployers wanted applicants who possess

good communication skills, work well onteams, possess the ability to relate topeople, and hold positive attitudes.m

Other professions recognize theimportance of constructive attitudes in thesuccessful completion of a task. Janke,when addressing educators inpharmaceutical schools, emphasized theimportance of attitudes in theeffectiveness of teaching and learning.n

Morgan states that the competencies forsoftware professionals “have been definedas a set of observable performancedimensions, knowledge, attitudes, [and]behavior, as well as collective team,process, and organizational capabilitiesthat are linked to high performance.”o

There seems to be much support for theidea that attitudes are important forengineering and other professionals.

Attitudes or Abilities?

Some on the second BOK committeesuggested that the civil engineering BOKshould include “abilities” with “knowledge”and “skills” rather than “attitudes.” Indeedthe term “abilities” is used rather than“attitudes” in several job descriptionsdeveloped by the computer scienceprofession,p the Californiaq and Oklahomar

state licensing boards, the Office of AviationSafety,s and the U.S. Office of PersonnelManagement.t

Necessary knowledge, skills, and “abilities”are indeed listed as prerequisites forprofessional practice in some cases;however, in many cases necessary“attitudes” are also specified includingexamples in the engineering community,u

the academic community,v,w the humanresource profession,x health careprofessiony,z and others.aa,bb,cc


The term “attitudes” is used in manyprofessional circles as a part of theirrespective BOKs or equivalent. ASCE is notoutside of professional practice whenrequiring certain “attitudes” within its BOK.

Assessing Attitudes

One of the concerns when including“attitudes” in the BOK is the difficulty ofassessing them in a meaningful way.Knowledge and skills can be objectivelymeasured but attitudes are far moresubjective. Any given measurement ofone’s attitude is plagued by a host ofuncertainties. For example, the subject, byhis or her own actions and words, mayhide his or her true attitude regarding aparticular topic for a host of reasons. Anobserver may distort an accurate measureof another’s attitudes. The development ofan appropriate assessment scheme willrequire much time and effort so athorough discussion of the topic will notbe attempted here. Even so, a fewcomments may prove helpful.

Perhaps the simplest way to measure theattitude of a licensure applicant would bethrough an assessment by a supervisingprofessional engineer. Many licensingagencies already require somemeasurement of such subjective qualitiesas character and integrity. The state ofCalifornia requires four references whomust rate an engineering applicant’stechnical competency, judgment, andintegrity among other characteristics.dd InNorth Carolina references must rate anapplicant’s integrity and ethical behavior,ee

and in Oklahoma applicants must betechnically competent and of goodcharacter as attested to by at least fivereferences.ff

Thurstone was one of the pioneers in themeasurement of attitudes. His methods

for measuring attitudes use a simple agree/disagree scale. This approach involves twomain stages. The first is to develop a largenumber of attitude statements regarding atopic. Subjects are then asked to rate howthey agree or disagree with the attitudestatements.gg This method requiresmultiple attitude statements before anaccurate measure of one’s attitude can beobtained.

The Semantic-Differential method ofmeasuring attitudes devised by Osgoodconsists of a topic and a set of bipolarscales—for example, exciting to dull.hh

The subject has to indicate the directionand intensity of an attitude towards agiven topic. The design of the statementand the scales are important in theaccurate assessment of attitude.

The assessment of attitudes has been along study within several professions. Forexample, the impact of a teacher’s and astudent’s attitudes on learning has longbeen a study in the education profession.ii

Even though it may be difficult for theengineering profession to develop anefficient assessment tool, attempts havebeen made in other professions; therefore,it is entirely appropriate for theengineering community to pursue thesame.

Concluding Remarks

A BOK for any profession certainlyincludes knowledge and skills. Becauseattitudes affect how the knowledge andskills are used, attitudes should be includedin the BOK. Attitudes are specified in theequivalent BOKs of other professions andthe assessment of attitudes has long been astudy. The inclusion of this outcome in thenew edition of the BOK certainly “raisesthe bar” for the profession.


Cited Sources

a) ASCE Body of Knowledge Committee.2004. Civil Engineering Body of Knowl-edge for the 21st Century: Preparing theCivil Engineer for the Future, Reston,VA, January. (http://www.asce.org/raisethebar).

b) ibid

c) ibid

d) ibid

e) ibid

f) ibid

g) ibid

h) ibid

i) Hoadley, P. W. 2007. “The BOK andAttitudes Assessment,” Proceedings ofthe ASEE Annual Conference, June.

j) Elms, D. G., “Steps Beyond Technique:Education for Professional Attitude,”Civil Engineering Systems, 2(1), 55–59,1985.

k) Stouffer, W. B., J. S. Russell, and M. G.Oliva. 2004. “Making the StrangeFamiliar: Creativity and the Future ofEngineering Education,” Proceedingsof the ASEE Annual Conference,American Society for Engineering,Washington, DC, 9315–9327.

l) Khan, H. 1996. “Correlates of Engi-neering and Management Effective-ness: Design of a Strategic UniversityCurriculum for Corporate Engineer-ing Executive Development (SUC-CEED) program.” Proceedings of the26th Annual Conference on Frontiersin Education, Part 2 (of 3), IEEE, Nov6–9 1996, Piscataway, NJ 886–890.

m) Henshaw, R. 1991. “Survey of Profes-sional Engineering Job Advertise-

ments,” International MechanicalEngineering Congress and Exhibition.

n) Janke, K. K. Accreditation Council forPharmacy Education webpage, http://www.acpe-accredit.org/scholar05/Breeze/AssessingAttitudes/index.html.

o) Morgan, J. N. 2005. “Why the Soft-ware Industry Needs a Good Ghost-buster,” Communications of the ACM,v48(8).

p) Bailey, J. L. and G. Stefaniak. 2001.“Industry Perceptions of the Knowl-edge, Skills, and Abilities Needed byComputer Programmers,” Proceed-ings of the ACM SIGCPR Conferenceon Computer Personnel Research.

q) California Board for Professional Engi-neers and Land Surveyors. 2007. “Pro-fessional Engineers Act,” January 1.http://www.dca.ca.gov/pels/e_plppe.pdf.

r) Oklahoma State Board of Licensurefor Professional Engineers & LandSurveyors Web page, http://www.pels.state.ok.us/.

s) Office of Aviation Safety of theNational Transportation Safety Board,http://www.ntsb.gov/vacancies/descriptions/AeroEngPowerplants.doc.

t) U.S. Office of Personnel Manage-ment, http://www.opm.gov/qualifi-cations/SEC-IV/B/GS0800/0800.htm.

u) Marshall and Marshall. 2005. “Facili-tating the Development of Student’sPersonal Ethics in Cultivating Profes-sional Ethics in Engineering Class-rooms,” Proceedings of the ASEEAnnual Conference and Exposition,June, 6323–6330.

v) Quádernas, César. 2000. “ImprovingAcademic Performance Through Typify-ing Electronics Engineers,” Proceedings,

http://www.acpe-accredit.org/scholar05/Breeze/AssessingAttitudes/index.html





http://www.dca.ca.gov/pels/e_plppe.pdf

http://www.pels.state.ok.us/

http://www.ntsb.gov/vacancies/descriptions/AeroEngPowerplants.doc

http://www.ntsb.gov/vacancies/descriptions/AeroEngPowerplants.doc

http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/SEC-IV/B/GS0800/0800.htm




Frontiers in Education Conference,IEEE.

w) Fullen, M. G., B. Joyce, and B. Show-ers. 2002. Student Achievement throughStaff Development, 3rd Edition, Associ-ation for Supervision and CurriculumDevelopment, Alexandria, VA.

x) Markman, G. D. 2003. “Person-Entre-preneurship Fit: Why Some PeopleAre More Successful as Entrepreneursthan Others,” Human Resource Man-agement Review, 13(2).

y) Hodges, B., C. Inch, and I. Silver.2001. “Improving the PsychiatricKnowledge, Skills and Attitudes ofPrimary Care Physicians,” AmericanJournal of Psychiatry, 158, October.

z) Lennox, N., and J. Diggens. 1999.“Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes:Medical Schools’ Coverage of an IdealCurriculum on Intellectual Disability,”Journal of Intellectual & Developmen-tal Disability, 24(4).

aa) Freeman, M. 2004. “SLT Talk andPractice Knowledge: A Response toFerguson and Armstrong,” Interna-tional Journal of Language & Commu-nication Disorders, 39(4).

bb) Kääriäinen, J., P. Sillanaukee, P. Pou-tanen, and K. Seppä. 2001. “Opinionson Alcohol-Related Issues AmongProfessionals in Primary, Occupa-

tional, and Specialized Health Care,”Alcohol and Alcoholism, 36(2).

cc) Rodolfa et al. 2005. “A Cube Model forCompetency Development: Implica-tions for Psychology Educators andRegulators,” Professional Psychology:Research and Practice, 36(4).

dd) California Board for ProfessionalEngineers and Land Surveyors, PEapplication, http://www.dca.ca.gov/pels/a_appinstpe.htm.

ee) North Carolina Board of ExaminersFor Engineers and Surveyors Web site,http://www.ncbels.org/reg-pe.htm

ff) Oklahoma State Board of Licensurefor Professional Engineers & LandSurveyors Web page, http://www.pels.state.ok.us/

gg) Roberts, J. S., J. E. Laughlin, and D. H.Wedell. 1997. “Comparative Validityof the Likert and ThurstoneApproaches to Attitude Measure-ment,” ETS Report.

hh) Osgood, C. E., G. J. Suci, and P. H.Tannenbaum. 1957. “The Measure-ment of Meaning,” University of Illi-nois Press, Urbana.

ii) Karavas-Doukas, E. 1996. “Using Atti-tude Scales to Investigate Teachers’Attitudes to the CommunicativeApproach, ELT Journal, 50(3).

http://www.dca.ca.gov/pels/a_appinstpe.htm

http://www.dca.ca.gov/pels/a_appinstpe.htm

http://www.ncbels.org/reg-pe.htm

http://www.pels.state.ok.us/


APPENDIX P

Notes

1. ASCE Task Committee to Plan a Sum-mit on the Future of the Civil Engi-neering Profession. 2007. The Visionfor Civil Engineering in 2025, Reston,VA, ASCE. (A PDF version is available,at no cost, from http://www.asce.org/Vision2025.pdf)

2. ASCE Policy Statement 465 as adoptedby the ASCE Board of Direction onApril 24, 2007. See the “Issue” section.(http://www.asce.org/raisethebar)

3. ASCE Body of Knowledge Committee.2004. Civil Engineering Body of Knowl-edge for the 21st Century: Preparing theCivil Engineer for the Future, Reston,VA, January. (http://www.asce.org/raisethebar).

4. National Academy of Engineering.2004. The Engineer of 2020: Visions ofEngineering in the New Century, TheNational Academies of Sciences, Wash-ington, DC. (http://www.nae.edu)

5. National Academy of Engineering.2005. Educating the Engineer of 2020:Adapting Engineering Education to theNew Century, National Academies ofSciences, Washington, DC. (http://www.nae.edu)

6. This is the ASCE definition of civilengineering, as adopted in 1961 by theASCE Board of Direction and pub-lished in the ASCE Official Register.

7. In late 2007, ASCE formed the TaskCommittee to Achieve the Vision for2025.

8. For the current complete ASCE PolicyStatement 465, see http://www.asce.org/raisethebar.

9. ASCE Levels of Achievement Subcom-mittee. 2005. Levels of AchievementApplicable to the Body of KnowledgeRequired for Entry Into the Practice ofCivil Engineering at the ProfessionalLevel, Reston, VA, September. (http://www.asce.org/raisethebar)

10. Bloom. B. S., Englehart, M. D., Furst.E. J., Hill, W. H., and Krathwohl, D.1956. Taxonomy of Educational Objec-tives, the Classification of EducationalGoals, Handbook I: Cognitive Domain,David McKay, New York, NY.

11. Rohwer, W. D., Jr. and K. Sloane.1994. “Psychological Perspectives.” InL. W. Anderson and Sosniak L.A.,“Bloom’s Taxonomy: A Forty-YearRetrospective,” Ninety-third Yearbookof the National Society for the Study ofEducation, University of ChicagoPress, pp. 41–63, Chicago, IL.

12. ABET. 2007. Criteria for AccreditingEngineering Programs: Effective forEvaluations During the 2007–2008Accreditation Cycle, ABET, Inc., Balti-more, MD. (http://www.abet.org).










http://www.nae.edu

http://www.nae.edu

http://www.nae.edu

http://www.abet.org


13. Pre-licensure experience consists pri-marily of work during the pre-licen-sure period but for some engineerswill also include other relevant experi-ence such as active involvement inprofessional societies and communityaffairs.

14. According to Merriam-Webster, rubricis defined as “an authoritative rule”and “something under which a thing isclassed” (http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/rubric.). Cambridge Learner’sDictionary defines rubric as “a set ofinstructions or an explanation” (http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?dict=L&key=HW*58100112)

15. ASCE Body of Knowledge Fulfillmentand Validation Committee. 2005. Ful-fillment and Validation of the CivilEngineering Body of Knowledge, Res-ton, VA, April. (http://www.asce.org/pdf/FVReportFinal.pdf)

16. ASCE Experience Committee. 2007.Final Report, Reston, VA, July (http://www.asce.org/raisethebar).

17. ASCE Task Committee on the Aca-demic Prerequisites for ProfessionalPractice (TCAP3). 2003. “ASCE’s Raisethe Bar Initiative: Master Plan forImplementation,” Session No. 2315,Proceedings of the American Society forEngineering Education Annual Confer-ence and Exposition, June 22–25,Nashville, TN. The Master Plan wasfirst developed by TCAP3 in 2002 andthe cited paper is one of the first timesit was published. The Master Plan hassince been refined with the currentversion being Figure 4 in this BOK2report.

18. ASCE Curriculum Committee. 2007.Development of Civil Engineering Cur-ricula Supporting the Body of Knowl-

edge, Reston, VA, December. (http://www.asce.org/raisethebar).

19. See http://www.asce.org/files/pdf/professional/BLPCALGCV35b.pdf.

20. See http://www.asce.org/files/pdf/professional/ASCECommentaryv3.309232006.pdf.

21. Engineers are licensed in 50 states plusthe District of Columbia and four U.S.territories (Guam, Puerto Rico,Northern Mariana Islands, and theVirgin Islands) for a total of 55 licens-ing jurisdictions. Illinois has a sepa-rate board for structural engineering.Therefore, there are 56 boards thatlicense engineers. For an historicalaccount of U.S. engineering licensure,see McGuirt, D. 2007, “The Profes-sional Engineering Century,” PE, June,pp. 24–29 and for thoughts on thefuture of licensure, see Nelson, J. D.and B. E. Price, 2007, “The Future ofProfessional Engineering Licensure,PE, June, pp. 30–34.

22. ASCE. 1995. Summary Report—1995Civil Engineering Education Confer-ence (CEEC ’95).

23. Adelman, C. 1998. Women and Men ofthe Engineering Path: A Model forAnalysis of Undergraduate Careers,U.S. Department of Education, Wash-ington, D.C.

24. Astin, A. W., and H. S. Astin. 1993.Undergraduate Science Education: TheImpact of Different College Environ-ments on the Educational Pipeline ofthe Sciences. Los Angeles Higher Edu-cation Resource Institute, UCLA.

25. Boyer, E. L. 1990. Scholarship Reconsid-ered: Priorities of The Professoriate, ASpecial Report. The Carnegie Founda-tion for the Advancement of Teaching.



http://www.asce.org/files/pdf/professional/BLPCALGCV35b.pdf

http://www.asce.org/files/pdf/professional/BLPCALGCV35b.pdf

http://www.asce.org/files/pdf/professional/ASCECommentaryv3.309232006.pdf



http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/rubric

http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/rubric

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http://www.asce.org/pdf/FVReportFinal.pdf

http://www.asce.org/pdf/FVReportFinal.pdf




26. Glassick, C. E., M. T. Huber, and G. I.Maeroff. 1997. Scholarship Assessed:Evaluation of the Professoriate, SpecialReport of the Carnegie Foundationfor the Advancement of Teaching,Jossey-Bass Inc., San Francisco, CA.

27. Lowman, J. 1995. Mastering The Tech-niques of Teaching, Jossey-Bass, Inc.,San Francisco, CA.

28. Conley, C., Ressler, S., Lenox, T., andSamples, J. 2000. “Teaching Teachersto Teach Engineering,” Journal of Engi-neering Education, ASEE, January.

29. Dennis, N. 2001. “ExCEEd TeachingWorkshop: Taking It on the Road,”Proceedings of the American Society forEngineering Education, Albuquerque,NM.

30. Douglas, E. 2001. “A ComprehensiveApproach to Classroom Teaching:Does It Work?” Proceedings of theAmerican Society for Engineering Edu-cation, Albuquerque, NM.

31. Estes, A., and S. Ressler. 2001.“ExCEEd Teaching Workshop: Fulfill-ing a Critical Need,” Proceedings of theAmerican Society for Engineering Edu-cation, Albuquerque, NM.

32. Knapp, K. 2000. “Learning to TeachEngineers: The Applicability andCompatibility of One Approach,” Pro-ceedings of the American Society forEngineering Education, St. Louis, MO.

33. Welch, R., Baldwin, J., Bentler, D.,Clarke, D., Gross, S., and Hitt, J. 2001.“The ExCEEd Teaching Workshop:Participants’ Perspective and Assess-ment,” Proceedings of the AmericanSociety for Engineering Education,Albuquerque, NM.

34. Welch, R., Baldwin, J., Bentler, D.,Clarke, D., Gross, S., and Hitt, J. 2001.

“The ExCEEd Teaching Workshop:Hints to Successful Teaching,” Pro-ceedings of the American Society forEngineering Education, Albuquerque,NM.

35. Examples of books that may help thestudent successfully complete his orher studies and proactively move intoemployment are:

Berson, B. R. and D. E. Benner. 2007.Career Success in Engineering: A Guidefor Students and New Professionals,Kaplan AEC Education, Chicago, IL.

Goldberg, D. E. 1995. Life Skills andLeadership for Engineers, McGraw Hill,New York, NY.

Roadstrum, W. H. 1998. Being Suc-cessful As An Engineer, EngineeringPress, Austin, TX.

Walesh, S. G. 2000. Engineering YourFuture: The Nontechnical Side of Pro-fessional Practice in Engineering andOther Technical Fields, ASCE Press,Reston, VA.

Walesh, S. G. 2004. Managing andLeading: 52 Lessons Learned for Engi-neers, ASCE Press, Reston, VA.

36. Mandino, O. 168. The Greatest Sales-man in the World, Bantam Books, NewYork, NY.

37. Neufeldt, V., Editor in Chief. 1986.Webster’s New World Dictionary ofAmerican English, Third College Edi-tion, Prentice Hall, New York, NY.

38. Foundation for Critical Thinking,“The Critical Thinking Community,”(http://www.criticalthinking.org/aboutCT/definingCT.shtml).

39. Lipman, M. 1988. “Critical Thinking:What Can It Be?,” Education Leader-ship, Vol. 46, No. 1., pp. 38–43.

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40. Van Joolingen, W. 1999. “CognitiveTools for Discovery Learning,” Interna-tional Journal of Artificial Intelligence inEducation, Vol. 10, pp. 385–397.

41. This is the ASCE definition of sustain-able development, adapted to describethe ability of engineering activity tomeet its service goals.

42. This is the ASCE definition of sustain-able development, as adopted in 1996by the ASCE Board of Direction andrecognized since then in the ASCECode of Ethics (http://www.asce.org/inside/codeofethics.cfm). It is the rootof other sustainability definitions thatappear in this report’s Appendix B,Glossary.

43. ASCE Code of Ethics, FundamentalCanon 1: “Engineers shall hold para-mount the safety, health and welfareof the public and shall strive to com-ply with the principles of sustainabledevelopment in the performance oftheir professional duties.” The ASCEdefinition of Sustainable Develop-ment (November 1996), and usedhere, is recorded therein. https://www.asce.org/inside/codeofethics.cfm

44. This is the ASCE definition of sustain-able development adapted to describethe engineering challenge.

45. ASCE Task Committee on the FirstProfessional Degree. 2001. Engineeringthe Future of Civil Engineering, Reston,VA, October 9. (http://www.asce.org/raisethebar.)

46. Merriam-Webster Dictionary, online at:http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary

47. Parcover, J. A. and R. H. McCuen.1995. “Discovery Approach to Teach-ing Engineering Design,” Journal ofProfessional Issues in Engineering Edu-

cation—ASCE, Vol. 121, No. 4, pp.236–241.

48. ASCE Policy Statement 418, The Role ofthe Civil Engineer in Sustainable Devel-opment, adopted by the ASCE Boardof Direction, October 19 2004.

49. ASCE Policy Statement 517, Millen-nium Development Goals, adopted bythe ASCE Board of Direction, July 22,2006.

50. Lynch D., W. Kelly, M. K. Jha, and R.Harichandran. “Implementing Sus-tainably in the Engineering Curricu-lum: Realizing the ASCE Body ofKnowledge,” proceedings of the ASEEAnnual Conference, Honolulu, HI,June 2007.

51. ASCE Task Committee on Sustainabil-ity Criteria and UNESCO/IHP IVProject M-4.3, D.P. Loucks et al. 1998.Sustainability Criteria for WaterResource Systems, Reston, VA.

52. ASCE Committee on Sustainability.2004. Sustainable Engineering Prac-tice: An Introduction, Reston, VA.Principles collected from severalsources are summarized at p.96 ff.

53. “Physical” here refers to the domain ofthe physical sciences, as distinct fromthe social sciences. For example,included are physics, chemistry, biol-ogy, and the earth sciences.

54. Vest, C. M. 2006. “Educating Engi-neers for 2020 and Beyond.” TheBridge, National Academy of Engi-neering, Summer, pp 39–44.

55. Petroski, H. 2001. “The Importance ofEngineering History,” InternationalEngineering History and Heritage.ASCE, Reston, VA.

56. Webster’s New World Dictionary. 1988.Third College Edition.

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57. Project Management Institute. 2004.A Guide to the Project ManagementBody of Knowledge—Third Edition,Newtown Square, PA.

58. Kerzner, H. 2005. Project Manage-ment: A Systems Approach to Planning,Scheduling, and Controlling, JohnWiley & Sons, Inc., New York, NY.

59. The definition for virtual communica-tion was created from the definition of“virtual” which is “being on or simu-lated on a computer or computer net-work” and “occurring or existingprimarily on line.” Webster’s Third NewInternational Dictionary, Unabridged.Merriam-Webster, 2002. http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com,December 28, 2007.

60. Dye, T. R. 1992. Understanding PublicPolicy, 7th Edition, Prentice Hall,Englewood Cliffs, NJ.

61. Arciszewski, T. 2006. “Civil Engineer-ing Crisis,” Journal of Leadership andManagement in Engineering—ASCE,January, pp. 26–30.

62. National Academy of Engineering.2006. Rising Above the GatheringStorm: Energizing and EmployingAmerica for a Brighter EconomicFuture, National Academies Press,Washington, DC.

63. Jha, M.K. and D. Lynch. 2007. “Roleof Globalization and SustainableEngineering Practice in the FutureCivil Engineering Education,” in Sus-

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64. Bowman, B. A. and J. V. Farr. 2000.“Embedding Leadership in Civil Engi-neering Education.” Journal of Profes-sional Issues in Engineering Educationand Practice—ASCE, 126 (1), 16–20.

65. Russell, J. S. and Yao, J. T. P. 1996.“Education Conference Delivers Ini-tiatives.” Journal of Management inEngineering—ASCE, 12(6), 17–26.

66. Farr, J. V., S. G. Walesh, and G. B. For-sythe. 1997. “Leadership Develop-ment for Engineering Managers.”Journal of Management in Engineer-ing—ASCE, 13(4), 38–41.

67. Weingardt, R. G., Closure to “Leader-ship: The World is Run by Those WhoShow Up” Journal of Management inEngineering—ASCE, 15(1), 92.

68. Wooden, J. and S. Jamison. 2005.Wooden on Leadership. McGraw-Hill,New York, NY.

69. Parker, G. M. 1994. Cross-FunctionalTeams: Working with Allies, Enemiesand Other Strangers. Jossey-Boss Pub-lishers, San Francisco, CA.

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